


Pack Life

by Maisey2k10



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Family, Humor, Imprinting, Post-War, Romance, Vampires, Werewolf, shape-shifters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:00:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 175,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25019686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maisey2k10/pseuds/Maisey2k10
Summary: After completing her Masters in Potions and Herbology and adopting her Godson, Teddy Lupin in the wake of his Grandmother's death, Hermione decides a change is in order. After packing up their lives and saying their goodbyes, they move to La Push where Hermione finds herself carving a new life with the pack she didn't know she needed and a man she was destined to love. Rated for bad language, violence and sexual content. Bella/Cullen bashing. HGxSU pairing! Imprinting! Writing in Progress!
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Sam Uley
Comments: 48
Kudos: 230





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and Stephenie Meyers. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. As for the descriptions of appearances for the Twilight characters, all my research is based on the books and not the movies. I have also changed a few of the canon events for both Twilight and Harry Potter, as you will see in the coming chapters, for instance, Fred did die, but he wasn't crushed by the wall; he was killed by a vampire.
> 
> And before I forget, let's ignore the eight hour time difference between London and Washington, just to make everything easier, I forgot and didn't realise until I was well into writing. 
> 
> Bella/Cullen bashing!
> 
> Page count: 11

**Wednesday 19th October 2005 - La Push**

"Miss. Granger, on the behalf of the residents of La Push, thank you for your donation to the community and we hope you find happiness here."

"Thank you, Mr. Black."

"Call me Billy," the russet toned man grinned up at her from his wheelchair.

She smiled at him. "Only if you call me Hermione," she replied. "If there is anything I can do for your Tribe please don't hesitate to ask. And I do hope I'm not intruding on..."

He interrupted before she could finish her words, giving a wave of his hand.

"Of course you're not intruding, you are more than welcome here. You have my number if you need anything?" He checked and she nodded in confirmation. "Then I better get home, here are the keys," he said, holding them out to her and she took them from him, closing her fingers around the two silver keys.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. He took her hand in both of his and squeezed them, offering a smile before he released them and turned, wheeling himself down the beach. "Before I forget, do you happen to know a contractor or anyone who may be able to help me fix this place up?" She called after him.

He paused before twisting to look at her. "It just so happens that I do, I'll send them along tomorrow morning for a meeting."

Smiling in thanks, Hermione watched as he slowly made his way down the beach before she turned towards her new house, staring up at it as the keys jingled in her hand.

It was a fairly large building made mostly of wood but with a small amount of brick used as a support mechanism. The paint had faded over the years with the once bright white now being a murky grey. The porch and steps needed a little fixing with some of the wood having splintered and rotted, a few of the windows needed replacing due to cracks in the glass whilst the rest just needed to see some soapy warm water. The roof needed to be redone as she'd seen the water damage inside the house, the window panes needed a new spruce of paint and the lamps would need to be replaced entirely due to rust and faulty wiring.

She'd fallen in love with the house the moment she saw it. She could imagine what it would look like once it was restored to its former glory, with a little magic she could have it done in no time, but of course, she had to be careful with how much progress she made and therefore she would hire a contractor to avoid suspicion.

She carefully walked up the steps of the porch, skipping the broken ones entirely before opening the faded red door and stepping inside.

She'd chosen this particular house for a reason, her heart was set on it due to its aged beauty but her mind had agreed with the decision. From what she'd learned, the house was the largest in all of the La Push community and right on the seafront, it had an enormous open planned living room, kitchen and dining room, six bedrooms, three baths, a basement -which she had every intention of converting into a potions lab- and a room that with a few Enlargement Charms, could hold her growing collection of books. With a pseudo-family as big as hers, she would need the space to accommodate them when they visited.

Thankfully, the inside of the house didn't have too much damage with the ground floor requiring the most work and the first and second floors needing a few improvements, but with the building being deemed structurally sound, she was happy.

As her eyes darted towards the kitchen, she knew it was the area that needed the least amount of work with only a replacement sink and cupboard doors needed. There was space for her newly purchased fridge-freezer, washing machine, dryer and oven and the countertops allowed for the placement of muggle kitchen appliances. To complete the kitchen, sat in the centre was a lovely island and breakfast bar, something she'd loved on sight.

Her eyes darting about her surroundings once more, she pulled the broken glasses frame from her pocket and was whisked away, returning to London.

~000~000~000~

**London**

"Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"Yes, Harry, I want to do this, I _need_ to do this," she smiled softly. "It's best if we have a fresh start, somewhere no one knows us and somewhere we'll be safe. I know it's been over a year but we're all still healing, Death Eaters are still on the run and we're not truly safe yet, where we're going we will be."

"I don't want you to leave, what am I going to do without you?" He frowned, his lip jutting out slightly and Hermione snorted at the action.

"You'll be the best Junior Auror this side of the world has ever seen," she replied confidently, a smile touching at his mouth.

"A lot has happened," he muttered.

"Yes, it has," she agreed.

"It's what's best for you both."

"I think it is," she nodded, the both of them looking over to the sleeping Teddy Lupin, now eighteen-months-old.

"When do you leave?".

"Tomorrow morning, I have a meeting with a contractor."

"You have a place already?" He questioned in surprise.

"Yes, it's lovely, big enough for visitors and on the beachfront, too. It just needs a little fixing up but it's been deemed safe to be habitable in the meantime."

"This makes it all the more final, doesn't it?" His voice saddened.

"Yes, it does. I've already said my goodbyes to the Weasleys and Minerva."

"How'd they take it?"

"As you would expect, Minerva was slightly shocked; she wished for me to take an apprenticeship under her and train to be the new Transfiguration Professor, but she understood. Ginny was upset but happy for me, Bill was supportive as was Charlie when I floo called him earlier on, Percy was indifferent, Arthur was upset but again understanding, George threatened to move in with me," she trialled off with a laugh that he mimicked. "And Ron went ballistic, as did Molly."

"Everyone thought you were going to marry," he reminded her.

"No, thank you, we tried dating and it was more awkward than Severus wearing pink and spouting off rubbish about being in love with unicorns and rainbows," she grimaced and he snorted in amusement. "Besides, I don't think I'll ever get married after what happened," her voice saddened and he cleared his throat.

"Speaking of Severus, have you told him?"

"Not yet, he's last on my list, he'll be the most difficult. I just have to inform Kingsley and then I can leave in the morning."

"I really don't want you to leave, you're my sister."

"Blood or not, you'll always be my brother, Harry," she promised softly, reaching out and pulling him into a hug.

~000~000~000~

**Ministry of Magic**

"Are you sure, Hermione?"

"Yes, Kingsley, Teddy picked it, I gave him a map and he pointed to it," she shrugged.

"Yes, but Forks, Washington?"

"It seems like a nice community, Seattle is only a few hours away so I'll have access to a Wizarding community and there's always Port Angeles if I wish to do a bit of shopping. Besides, it's not Forks but La Push."

He sighed. "When I received your letter stating you were moving to the US, I had Percy pull all the information we have on Washington," he informed her, pushing the file that sat before him across his desk and over to her. "In Forks alone, there is a coven of vampires, seven in total," he saw her expression darken instantaneously, she gripped the armrests of her chair and frightening growl slipped past her lips.

Kingsley flinched back. Since the Final Battle and after witnessing several of her friends, professors and peers being ripped apart by vampires, she had grown to dislike them, one in particular that she was currently tracking the whereabouts of so she could repay her in kind. It was the reason she hadn't applied to work for the RCMC Department, she wasn't entirely certain she could liaison with them, let alone stand the thought or sight of them.

"I will say in their defence, the file states the vampires are on an animal diet only, they should pose no threat to you," he said softly, knowing her issues with the blood-ingesting species.

"Even if they did, they'd have to get past my wand first," she shrugged, seeing a smile tug at his mouth.

"I have to tell you there is also a pack of shape-shifting wolves in La Push, from what we've been able to tell, three so far but we're unsure if there will be more."

"As for the shape-shifters," Hermione started, reaching for the file and flipping through it, seeming calmer as she leaned back into her chair and crossed her leg over her knee, "According to this file, they haven't hurt any muggles."

"An employee of the American RCMC Department was dispatched with instructions to observe the wolves. It seems they pose no threat to muggles. There's some local legends surrounding the Tribe, one of animal warriors protecting their Tribe from cold-ones."

"Vampires?" Hermione arched an eyebrow but didn't take her eyes from the file in her hand.

"We believe so; the observer noted that the wolves patrolled the borders of their land every night. After a week, he had only witnessed them killing one confirmed vampire that came onto their land, the American Ministry deemed them safe and no longer keep tabs on them but as with all records, if another shape-shifter emerges, the records will automatically update."

"Do you think the presence of vampires nearby invoked the shape-shifting?"

"It may be possible and I hate to admit but I feel the shape-shifters will do you no harm, you'll be residing on their land, so you'll be protected. How did you manage to gain property? They're a closed community; they don't usually let outsiders in."

"I can't actually remember; it happened so quickly. I was walking down the street and I must've looked lost because this man stopped me and asked if I needed help. We got to talking and he took me to the local diner, I told him I was looking to buy a property and before I knew it, I had bought a house, signed all the papers and donated to the local school to improve their library and gymnasium."

He chuckled at her. "You have a way about you, Hermione, you set people at ease. I'll be sad to see you leave, must you go? I could use your help in the Ministry."

"Yes, I have to leave."

~000~000~000~

**Hogwarts**

"Severus?" Hermione shuffled on her feet nervously. "Please, say something."

"When do you leave?" He questioned, his eyes cold and his face blank. She hated seeing him that like.

"Tomorrow morning, everything is set."

"What will you do?"

"Well, now that I've completed my Masters, I'll be working on my own potions as well as providing potions for any that need them. I already have a contract with St. Helena's Hospital, it gives me more than enough income than I need and that's not including what I'll get from my sales to others, my investments and the reward money."

"You need a license," he deadpanned.

"I already applied for one, the paperwork came back yesterday. I have everything that we need. Please understand that I need to do this, things have been so hard lately."

He sighed and closed his eyes before he slowly opened his arms for her and like a hysterical child, she rushed to him and hugged him tightly, tears beginning to fall. Out of everyone she loved, she would miss Severus and Harry the most.

She never would have thought she'd develop the relationship she had with Severus, especially giving their history. But during the battle after he'd been bitten by Nagini and Harry had rushed off to find a pensive, Hermione had been too stubborn to let him die. After all of the death she'd already witnessed, she needed to be able to save the life of someone, anyone, and she'd extracted the venom before it reached his heart and kept him alive long enough to get him to St. Mungo's.

Despite visiting him in hospital and checking in on him, he ignored her, refusing to speak or even look at her for weeks. It was then she realised that he wanted to die, that he'd never expected to survive the war and he needed time to process his surviving. He'd been in the hospital for weeks whilst the healers reversed the damage the venom had done to his body before she'd had the chance to stop it from spreading, and one day, he found her at Hogwarts when she was helping with the cleanup.

He'd pierced her with that cold stare and his voice had been too calm for him not to be furious and for hours she'd been scolded and chastised and she'd barely been able to look at him before he waltzed out of the room, his robes billowing behind him. It was weeks after that when he finally thanked her for saving his life and from that point, they slowly started to talk a little more, mainly about the potions field. It wasn't until she had her world shattered that he stepped up his role in her life and they grew closer, developing a relationship similar to that of a father and daughter.

"I have more than enough space, you can visit whenever you like and when you retire, you can come and live with me," she whispered.

"I am needed here," he replied.

"I know, but I can't stay here, please understand that."

"I do, and that's why I give you my blessing."

She let out a sob of relief and sadness. "Thank you, Severus. We can owl and floo call all the time, I'll likely need your help with a potion or two."

"You're a Potion's Mistress now," he reminded.

"But I'm nowhere near your standard, you've got years of experience and knowledge over me."

"You are fairly close, that comes with age and experience. You've always had potential. A second year brewing Polyjuice in a girl's bathroom," he chuckled lowly and it pulled a laugh from her.

"May I remind you that I turned myself into a strange human-cat hybrid?"

"May I remind you that you brewed it perfectly? You just happened to collect the hair from the wrong species, a mistake anyone could make, even I."

"If you say so," she sniffed. "But I expect a visit at least once a month; I want to hear your complaints about the new generation of dunderheads under your care," she said, a smile tugging at her mouth when he snorted.

~000~000~000~

**Thursday 20th October 2005 - London**

"Must you go?"

"Yes, Harry, I must," she smiled and chuckled sadly at his pout.

"I'm sorry that I can't help you with him," he said, looking to Teddy who was perched on her hip, tugging at her hair and giggling as his hair changed from a sandy-blonde to mahogany-brown to raven-black and back again.

"I understand, Harry," she smiled softly, "Being an Auror isn't exactly an appropriate occupation for a young parent. You deserve to have your freedom and I know you love Teddy but I'm able to care for him and honestly, he isn't much hassle."

"You say that now but wait till he gets older," Harry laughed.

"No, he is _not_ getting older; he's staying my little Teddy Bear for the rest of his life, right Teddy?" She looked down at him and Teddy clapped in response and squealed

"I'll visit whenever I can," he promised.

"I know but you need to focus on making this world safe, there's still a few Death Eaters loose that need catching." A beep sounded from her wand, alerting her that her port-key was due to leave. "That's my cue. Goodbye, Harry."

With her beaded bag hooked over her shoulder, Hermione reached inside and removed the port-key, a smile and giggling child being that last thing he saw when they were whisked away.

~000~000~000~

**La Push**

She landed in the middle of the open planned space and Teddy was already asleep due to magical transportation being known to exhaust children after travel. Moving further into the living room, she unhooked her beaded bag from her shoulder and set it on the ground before heading straight for the stairs.

She'd already been back to the house earlier that morning to set up Teddy's room and whilst she hadn't had the chance to finish it, she'd made sure to use the time she'd had wisely. It was on the first floor, the second largest room in the house and right beside her own, putting him close by.

Opening the door revealed dark wooden flooring and light blue walls, a single wooden framed bed sat against the right wall and was complete with Protection Charms, preventing Teddy from rolling out of bed and injuring himself but he also couldn't leave the bed alone, he had to be accompanied by someone, preventing him waking in the night and wandering, and she'd done it for those reasons. Teddy had always been a curious child and now he was able to walk well and was running even better, she had to be cautious.

As she laid him on the soft mattress and covered him the dark blue blankets, she placed a kiss to his forehead, took a step back and placed an Alert Ward around his bed so she would be made aware of when he woke.

She paused by the bedroom door and then turned to look back at him, seeing his even breathing and his eyelids fluttering slightly as he dreamed.

She'd adopted Teddy a month prior to moving.

After the deaths of Remus and Tonks, Teddy was under the care of Andromeda, with Harry and Hermione stepping in whenever they could, more so Hermione, since Harry had been in Auror training and his schedule was always erratic unlike hers.

Unknown to them, Andromeda had been ill, her condition deteriorating by the day. It was a wizarding form of cancer and she'd passed away, Harry and Hermione becoming Teddy's legal guardians until Hermione adopted Teddy a week later, the paperwork being rushed through in a matter of days with the help of Kingsley.

She would make sure her Godson has the best life he could possibly have; he would be safe, loved and protected. She loved the little boy more than she ever thought possible.

With a final glance, she turned, closed the door and returned to the floor below, collecting her beaded bag from the ground, pulling her wand from beneath her sleeve and using it to remove and enlarge all of the packed boxes and recently bought furniture. Scanning the labelled boxes, she sent her belongings to her room and Teddy's clothing and toys up to his room, being sure to make a mental note to purchase more as he was growing so quickly.

After she resized her furniture she left it scattered around the room with the packaging remaining in place, she made a start on the kitchen, moving the appliances onto the countertops and making it look as though she'd been there a while unpacking, instead of arriving only ten minutes ago.

With the larger appliances being too heavy to move by herself, a wave of her wand had the fridge-freezer in its rightful place and cast charms around it, protecting it from magical interference. She'd already been by the local supermarket that morning and was quick to put the food items away before she turned her attention to moving the silver double oven into its rightful place. Looking about, the smaller appliances, utensils and knickknacks were scattered about and waiting to be put away and newspaper and bubble wrap littered the countertops and floor made the place look untidy.

Happy with what she'd done so far and having had a busy morning, a quick break was in order so she approached the couch and sat down on the soft white material, the protective cover crinkling beneath her. She'd barely taken a moment when she heard a car pull up outside the house and it was soon followed by a car door opening and closing. Sighing, she stood from the couch, ran a hand through her hair, smoothed out her shirt and then made her way to the door.

She opened it to reveal a man dressed in simple jeans and a black t-shirt, clinging to his muscled form. He was stood by an old-looking tan coloured truck, his hands shoved into his pockets as he stared up at the house thoughtfully.

She stepped through the door and onto the porch, allowing her to see him better. He was tall, Merlin was he tall. Six-foot-six at least! The muscles that his t-shirt clung to seemed bigger than she'd originally thought, he was like a combination of Bill and Charlie, Bill's height -only taller- and Charlie's physique. His skin was russet in colour, practically glowing, his eyes a dark brown and his hair short and black. He gave a whole new meaning to the term, tall, dark and handsome. Hermione wasn't known for being affected by a person's appearance and that's when she realised she was practically drooling.

Mentally closing her mouth, she squared her shoulders and was careful as she walked down the porch steps, physically jumping the last three altogether as they were the most damaged and she landed on the sand with a thud.

It caught his attention and his gaze turned to her, his eyes widening, his mouth parting and he stared unflinchingly.

~000~000~000~

"Hey, Sam, what you got for us this morning?" Jared spoke as he entered Sam's cabin, Paul following behind him after their return from early morning patrols.

Sam shrugged, taking a sip from his coffee mug. "Billy called, that old house on First Beach, someone's moving in and has asked for some help fixing it up."

"That's dump's liveable?" Jared quested in surprise.

"More importantly, _who_ could _afford_ that dump?" Paul added.

Sam shrugged uselessly, shifting to get more comfortable as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Can't be anyone from the Res, I took a look at the listing, not only does the place need some serious work, it wasn't cheap either, we're talking mid-six figures, even in the state it's in, something to do with the location, too. Billy said they'd pay well for the work done."

Jared whistled. "It must be though; I can't imagine the Council allowing an outsider to live on the land."

"Billy said something about a donation."

"So the buyer bought the Council's approval?" Paul scowled in irritation.

"No, the buyer bought the house and donated _afterwards_ , they heard about the school's lack of resources and wrote a hefty cheque for the library and gym, he said something about them being a firm supporter in education."

"So, who is it?"

"Let's go and find out," Sam spoke, putting down his now empty coffee mug before he reached for his keys.

They left the house, climbed into the truck and Sam drove the short distance to First Beach arriving and finding the house in as little as twenty minutes. When he pulled to a stop, he shut off the engine and instructed Paul and Jared to wait for him in the truck, and though it was clear they didn't agree with his decision they didn't argue.

He stepped out of his truck and shut the door behind him, searching his surroundings before his eyes finally locked on the house before him. It was a lot bigger than he remembered it being and he could already see the work that needed to be done to it with only a few glances and he was sure there'd be more after he gave the house an inspection. Hours would have to go into fixing up the house but Billy had given his word the buyer could be trusted to pay and pay well, so he wasn't worried.

He could imagine what the place would look like when it was finished, what it would be like to own a house of that size and value, who would have bought it, but his conjured image didn't compare to reality.

After hearing the 'thud' of weight colliding with the wet sand beneath his feet, his head turned towards the sound and he couldn't describe what happened next. It was as if his heart had stopped beating only to pick up at a much faster pace. His head cleared of all thoughts, particularly of those of his ex-girlfriend (for which he still felt guilty for breaking up with her.) His thoughts were replaced with that of the girl, _woman_ , in front of him.

God! She was the most beautiful being he'd ever laid eyes on and she smelled so good, he couldn't help taking a deep breath as the wind tousled her hair, sending her scent in his direction. It was sweet and fruity, vanilla, strawberries and honey, but there was something else there, something hidden. It calmed him, washing over him in waves.

He felt himself go light headed, was it possible to get drunk on scent?

His eyes devoured her. She was far shorter than him; where he stood at six-foot-six, she only stood at five-foot-six, he was a whole foot taller than her! She was tiny compared to him. Her mahogany coloured hair fell in shiny and sleek ringlets to the middle of her back; they looked soft and spilt over her shoulders, creating a halo effect.

She had ivory skin and her large chocolate brown eyes were doe-like and captivating, he had to tear himself away from them in order to continue with his perusal of her. He moved down to her cute button nose and saw a light smattering of freckles and he felt the urge to count them. Next were her pink lips, plump and soft and utterly kissable, moving lower led him to her elegant neck and he saw her collar bones slightly peeking out from the few undone buttons on her shirt.

She wore a plaid shirt, red, black and white with a pair of black leggings and red converse on her feet. It was so simple and effortless. Her clothing clung to her in all the right ways, showing off the swell of her breasts and her curves whilst also being modest, hiding most of her skin from view. She was makeup-free, he knew from the lack of smell that tended to surround most beauty products, something he was now able to pick up on. His mouth had gone dry and he couldn't form a clear thought in his head.

Did he love her?

He realised that he did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 12

**Thursday 20th October 2005**

Hermione shuffled on her feet, slightly unnerved by the way the handsome man was staring at her. But staring wasn't the right word, it was more like his eyes were devouring her as they slowly swept across her. Merlin! He looked like he wanted to eat her.

She'd never been looked at so hungrily before and she felt a blush threatening to cover her cheeks but she squashed it down and squared her shoulders. She was a Gryffindor, they didn't scare easily.

"Are you okay?" She asked him in her friendly tone but he didn't answer. "Hello? Are you alright?" Her brow furrowed in concern only her attention was drawn to the truck when two doors opened and then closed.

Two men equally as tall, dark and handsome though they looked slightly younger, maybe around her age, stepped out and made their way towards her, not missing the way their eyes darted between her and the man before her.

"Fuck, she's hot," she heard one of them mutter and she had to force herself to not blush or fidget where she stood.

Taking a breath and centring herself, she turned towards them slightly before saying, "Hi, you must be the contractors, I'm Hermione," she smiled, showing them her perfectly straight and white smile.

"I'm Jared," one of them greeted her, being equally as friendly with a smile and he shook her hand in his.

The first thing she noticed was his unnaturally high body temperature but she didn't comment; she'd seen far stranger things in her life and it was possible he'd recently been wearing a coat. As they shook hands, she gave him the once over, seeing a tall, muscled frame standing at six-foot-three, his hair was a short dark brown, his skin a glowing russet tone and his eyes a light brown.

Her eyes then darted to the other figure present, seeing his muscled frame was slightly taller than Jared's as he stood at six-foot-four. His hair was a short black, being similar to the first man's but it had a bit of a natural spike to it at the front, his eyes were a brown, a shade darker the Jared's but lighter than the first man's, and he had the same russet tone as the others. They all wore similar and casual clothing, short-sleeved t-shirts, jeans and boots, but no coat, she noted. While it wasn't cold to her, she'd grown used to colder climates and the wind was picking up a little, it being colder than most could handle without a coat or jacket but they didn't seem bothered by it.

"I'm Paul, pleasure to meet you," his mouth twitched into a smirk. "Hermione? That's a pretty name," he complimented.

She was more than surprised when he reached for her hand and brought it up to his mouth, placing a kiss to her knuckles with his eyes refusing to release her of his gaze, only she was able to break free, seeing Jared rolling his eyes and not looking the least bit surprised. However, the most surprising response came from the man as he released a sound that she could only describe as a feral growl.

All eyes snapped to him, the two younger men looking to him apprehensively and when Paul released her hand and she drew it back to her, the growling stopped. As the man gave a look of warning to Paul, he turned back to Hermione with a large, goofy smile pulling at his mouth. For a man of his size, she thought he looked more adorable than should've been possible and she felt herself relax, a smile of her own settling on her lips.

"Hermione?" His voice was deeper than she expected, smooth and charming, his tone almost caressing her name as he spoke it. "I'm Sam Uley," he introduced.

Reaching for her hand, Hermione met him halfway in a handshake only that hadn't been his intentions. Just as Paul had, he placed a kiss to her knuckles but rather than pulling back, he lingered longer and she heard him inhale deeply. Was he _smelling_ her?

When he drew back, his thumb softly rubbed over the back of her hand as he slowly released her hand, Hermione having to force herself to stop shivering as his hot, calloused skin grazed over hers.

Clearing her throat, she awkwardly clasped her hands behind her back before saying, "So, Sam Uley, Paul and Jared," she started, pulling a quick laugh from Jared. "Billy has spoken highly of your work ethic, I do hope we can get along."

"I think we'll get along just fine," Paul wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Hermione couldn't help it, she burst into laughter and he deflated a little.

"I'm so sorry... You just reminded me of someone back home," she apologised.

"Where actually was home?" Sam asked her, his eyes having yet to look at anyone but her.

"London, England. Born and raised. As much as I loved my home, I had to leave."

"Why?" His brow furrowed, Hermione not being blind to the looks Paul and Jared were shooting at each other looks as their eyes darted between her and Sam.

"Let's just say I've had a rough few years and I needed a change," she winced. That was putting it mildly, she thought.

"Why here of all places? Surely you'd want somewhere warmer?" Jared tipped his head slightly and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Honestly, this place was chosen randomly from a map. And I quite like it, it's quiet, no one knows who I am here."

"What d'you mean by that?" He asked curiously.

"Well, you could say that I'm somewhat of a local celebrity back home and I wanted space for myself. The weather's quite nice here, too."

" _Nice_?" Paul asked disbelievingly, looking up at the grey clouded sky above pointedly.

She laughed. "Yes, England isn't exactly known for its warm temperatures, more for our torrential rain and cloudy skies. The temperature right now is what it would be in England in the summer unless we get a heatwave, which isn't as often as you would think," she answered. "Anyway, should we get inside and we can discuss business?" She said, not giving them the chance to answer as she spun on her heel and approached the porch steps.

"Be mindful of the steps, as you can see, this place needs a bit of TLC, but with your help, I think we can restore it to its former glory."

They followed her up the steps and across the porch to the door before stepping inside, their eyes widening at just how big it was, the opened planned space making it look bigger than should've been possible, boxes and furniture were scattered about, newspaper and bubble wrap spilt from boxes and littered the floor.

"I'm sorry about the mess but I suppose it can't be avoided when moving into a new house. Would you like a cup of tea?" She asked politely.

"Coffee would be great," Paul grinned.

She hummed thoughtfully. "Hmm, coffee, right, I think I might have some, bear with me," she replied, leading them towards the kitchen and gesturing to the stools she'd purchased for the breakfast bar.

As they took their seats, she continued further forward until she reached the cupboard, pulling open the first door slowly and their eyes widening a little not only at the amount of food hidden but at the door hanging at an angle as it was only held in place by one hinge.

"Nope, not that one," she muttered to herself before carefully closing the door and moving onto the next one, repeating the same again after not finding what she was looking for. After searching all of the cupboards above the countertops, she bent down and rummaged through the cupboards beneath it.

Unknowing to her, the three contractors perched at the breakfast bar all tilted their heads and stole appreciative glances at her arse. Hearing a growl, she was quick to rise to full height and twist to look behind her, seeing Paul and Jared avoiding eye contact with a furious-looking Sam. Her eyes darted between them suspiciously before she released a hum of confusion and then turned back to her task, releasing a noise of triumph when she found the glass jar containing coffee and she stood, looking pleased with herself. She allowed the kettle to boil and after retrieving four mugs, she made the three coffees per their requests and a tea for herself, placing the mugs before them on the breakfast bar. Stepping back, she hopped up onto the countertop and reached for her tea, holding it between both her hands as she sipped the hot liquid, the three men before her watching her curiously.

"How old are you?" Paul eyed her strangely.

"I turned nineteen last month," she replied.

"How can you afford this place, especially at your age?" Jared blurted out, his expression quickly morphing into embarrassment. Laughter fell from her at his horrified, apologetic glance and at the joyous and carefree sound, Sam sighed from his seat sat in-between Paul and Jared, the two men eyeing him strangely. "I'm sorry, that was rude."

She waved him off with her hand before curling it back around her mug. "Don't worry about it, your expression was hilarious. I waiting for one of you to ask me that," she revealed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Why'd the Council let you buy this place?" Paul asked her. "They've never let anyone but a member of our Tribe own property on our land."

"Well," she paused, hopping off the counter and pulling a large tin from a cupboard before moving over to the breakfast bar, setting it on the counter and removing the lid, revealing a large selection of biscuits. She took one herself and dunked it in her tea, before eating it and answering their questions as they rummaged through the tin.

"It was an accident actually, I was wandering down a street in Forks looking at the houses and I ran into Billy. He asked if I was lost and we got to talking and before I knew it, we were at a diner eating lunch together and I'd bought a house."

Paul and Jared observed Sam as he seemed to hang on her every word and he barely took his eyes off her, but he had to admit there was something about her voice, something calming and soft.

"But _how_ did you get their approval?"

"I'm not sure," she nibbled at the corner of her lip before she lifted her mug and sipped from her tea. "Billy must've vouched for me, I guess. I quite like him; he reminds me of my Granddad," she said softly. "Anyway, we got to talking and I heard about the lack of resources at the Reserve's School and I decided to help, so I donated money."

"Why would you do that? You've never even met anyone on the Res."

"I know, but I value education. I was the school swot," she shrugged.

"The school swot?" Paul asked disbelievingly, eyeing her up and down and taking in her beauty, not seeing her as the teacher's pet type.

"Hmm, highest grades in the school."

"You mean your class?" Sam corrected.

"Nope, my entire school, even from my first year," she shook her head, seeing their confused expressions. "I attended my school between the ages of eleven and eighteen, though technically, you could say I graduated early. I was accepted into a boarding school for those with exceptional gifts and talents, most don't even know it exists it's that exclusive."

"So you're a genius?" Jared probed.

"I wouldn't so say, no. I'll admit that I was a little smarter than my peers but I wouldn't say I'm a genius, there's plenty of people smarter than me. And, as for your question about how I could afford this place, let's just say I have a well-paying job and I came into some money a little while back."

"Why would you buy this place, it's a dump?" Paul questioned, his eyes darting out of the kitchen window as if he could see the outer side of the building.

"I like it and with a little love and hard work, it can be beautiful again. I left a lot of people back home and I'm expecting visitations so I need the space. And it's on the beach, it's very peaceful," she shrugged. "In short, I saw an abandoned property that I thought, with some help, I could make great again. I have too much wealth than I care for, so if all goes to plan, I'll continue investing it, maybe buy some properties, fix them up and rent them out," she sipped at her tea, seeing their surprised stares. "Right, enough about me, do you fancy sharing your secrets with me or should we take a tour of the house?"

"House," they all chorused, pulling a laugh from her.

"Come on then, let's get started." She pushed away from the breakfast bar and rounded it, stepping into the centre of the large open planned space, her mug of tea still in hand. "As you saw, the cupboard doors will need replacing, the breakfast bar could do with a repaint but I'll handle that myself, and the sink will likely need replacing, I don't know how but there's a crack in it and some damage to the pipes. It'd probably be more cost-effective to replace the entirety of the windows and I know there's quite a few so I wish you luck. The porch needs some serious work doing and the window panes need replacing, the majority of them or splintered or cracked. As for inside, I suspect a few floorboards may need replacing but you're the experts, so I'll leave that up to you to decide." She moved over to the left of the large room and gestured about with a wave of her hand before settling it back around her mug so it was cradled between both hands. "The ground floor of the house needs the most work. This will be the dining room, I'm thinking about putting in a new floor, maybe laminate or a light wood effect." She tipped her head towards the door. "As you can likely tell, that is to be the living room, feel free to have a look around."

She stood back and sipped at her tea as they each slowly wandered around the large room, looking at the aged fireplace, crouching down or tapping their feet against the floor to closely examine it, looking at the structural beams and examining the woodwork.

"Are you currently living here?" Sam questioned but his eyes were on the bare walls, traces of aged wallpaper being left behind from the previous owner.

"It will be my first night here, the building is structurally sound; I had it checked before moving in."

"There's a few holes and cracks in the walls but plastering them will be easier and shouldn't take too long. There's a slight bit of damp in the right corner but we can manage that in no time, whilst a few of the floorboards do need replacing due to rot, I'd recommend replacing the majority of the flooring so we might replace the insulation beneath it, which will be more cost-effective in the long run and help to prevent damp and mold from spreading. We should probably put in a few more structural beams as a precaution and to offer more support. If there's going to be so many people here during visits, you'll need it, this house hasn't been lived in for decades and had been abandoned since."

Hermione nodded in agreement, seeing no issues with his recommendations. It wasn't as if she couldn't afford the renovations and she wanted the house to be as safe as possible for Teddy, damp and mold wasn't good for anyone, especially young children.

"Whatever you think is best and if it's more cost-effective in the long run, great. I trust your judgement," she replied. Sam seemed to light up at her words, a large, goofy smile settling on her mouth.

"Are there any more rooms on this floor?"

"Yes, two," she nodded, making her way past the staircase and down into a corridor, heading to the door on the left before pushing it open and stepping inside.

"What will this be? We may need to accommodate for your wishes," he said, his eyes darting about the room, taking in the improvements and changes that needed to be made. The hideous peeling wallpaper _definitely_ needed to go.

"I have a very... _eclectic..._ book collection," she replied, hearing Paul mutter "bookworm" and she fought down a smirk. _If only he knew,_ she thought amused. "I was hoping to turn this room into the library and maybe a study; I need space to complete my research."

"What exactly do you do?" Jared asked her, looking around the large room that was bigger than his bedroom and bathroom combined.

"You could say that I'm a Chemist, Herbalist and Biologist rolled into one," she spoke with a slight twitch to her lips, as if it was an inside joke no one but her knew.

"Genius," Paul muttered beneath his breath but she chose to ignore it.

"From what I can see, there isn't a lot of work required for this room but that may change once we make a start, there's always underlying issues we missed the first time but I'm hoping that's not the case this time. But for now, I'd say a little work needs to be done to fix the cracks in the walls and the rotting floorboards," Sam spoke, looking to her for approval and she smiled and nodded.

Silently, she led them out of the room and a little further down the corridor to a door on the right, nudging it open with her foot as she sipped at her tea. The room was approximately the same size as the previous one and empty of everything except dust and dirt, the peeling wallpaper a dirty brown.

"And this room?" Sam asked.

"I'm not sure, perhaps a family room," she mused.

"I'd say what I said about the previous room applies to this one, too. The fixing of the cracked walls and replacement of floorboards but this room seems to have damp, too," Sam commented and she nodded in agreement before stepping from the room and back into the corridor.

"Where does that door lead?" Paul questioned, gesturing to the door hidden beneath the staircase with a tip of his head.

"The basement," she replied.

"Right then, next floor?" Jared clapped his hands together enthusiastically and she snorted before leading them up the staircase, Sam briefly commenting that the staircase was in surprisingly good condition but the bannister and spindles needed replacing.

"This is the first floor, it houses three bedrooms and one bathroom. This is the master suite," she said, opening the door on the left of the corridor, showing the boxes scattered in the room, the newly packaged king-sized mattress leaning against the wall and her new bed being in pieces on the ground. She saw them look around in surprise and she had to admit, even she had been surprised by the size when she first saw it. "Walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom," she explained to Jared after seeing him eyeing the two doors in the room.

"How are the water and electrical systems?" Sam asked her, being pleased when her attention was pulled from Jared and to him.

"All taken care of, I had the water company and an electrician out before moving in, everything's in working condition, the gas, too, moving on."

Closing the door, she showed them the smaller bedroom opposite her room on the right, it being empty of everything but dust before showing the bathroom beside it, it containing a combined shower and bathtub, a sink and toilet, a mirrored cabinet and a linen cupboard. As she moved to the second floor, she completely skipped the third bedroom beside hers, not wanting to disturb Teddy as he slept. Whilst it was obvious they were curious by the action they didn't comment, allowing her to show them the final three bedrooms and the bathroom, and mentioning her concerns about the roof as they headed back towards the kitchen.

"So, do you think you can help me?" She asked hopefully, setting her mug in the sink and then turning to face them.

Sam nodded seemingly without thought. "We can get started on the roof for you, and hopefully have it done by the end of the day."

"Really?" She grinned.

"Yes, it's an easy fix," Sam beamed in response to her grin.

"Great, would you like payment now or after you've completed the job? Of course, I'll pay for all materials and any accidental damages done to the house, I won't hold you accountable given how old this place. I'll pay you by the hour and not by how much you get through in a day, and I'll pay your medical if any of you get injured. Would you like cash or cheque?" She folded her arms, raising an eyebrow as they looked to one another, to her, back to each other and then finally back to her. The whole interaction was quite comical on her part.

Sam gave his head a mental shake before saying, "Billy said you can be trusted to pay, so we'll wait until after the house is complete."

"Are you sure? I don't mind paying now."

"Now?" Jared and Paul spluttered and Hermione nodded in amusement.

"We're sure, Hermione." There it was again, Sam's tone caressing her name, sending a shiver down her voice.

"Very well, when can you start?" She asked excitedly.

"Now, I had a feeling the roof may have needed some work doing, I have everything I need with us today."

"Great," she beamed, "I'll even make you lunch."

Paul grinned. "I think I'm beginning to like you."

She laughed at him. "Well, I better get started on lunch then, I'm starving, surprising since I only ate not long before you arrived."

They all looked her petite frame up and down pointedly.

"Yeah, what's with all the food in the cupboards?" Paul arched an eyebrow.

"What can I say, I've recently developed a big appetite," she shrugged, not missing the way the three men before her shared a smirk, as if they were the ones that had an inside joke.

"But you're so tiny," Sam commented fondly.

"She may be small but she be fierce," she grinned.

Jared laughed. "I like her," he nodded, nudging Paul with his elbow.

~000~000~000~

"She can cook!" Jared laughed in delight and practically inhaled his food, an action that was mimicked by the other two contractors.

She'd made lunch and plated it up within an hour and judging by their apparent appetites, they'd eat their food within a quarter of that. Whilst they'd come by early that morning, she'd waited for as long as she could before she made a start on dinner, but being starving, she'd ensured it was ready for twelve o'clock, allowing the contractors a little time to do some work and her some time to start organising her house.

"Bloody hell," she cursed, their forks paused halfway to their mouths and they stared at her surprised but amused reaction. "I never thought I'd see someone eat the same amount of food as the Weasley boys, I was clearly mistaken."

"The who?" Paul frowned.

"They're my friends from back home. I've known them since I was eleven, we all went to school together, Molly and Arthur Weasley practically raised me. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley have been my best friends for years, Ronald had five older brothers and a younger sister," she explained. Their eyes widened a little but no one picked up on that she'd said had and not has. Paul released a whistle before returning to his food. "I spent most of my holidays with them, the amount of food they eat could feed a small army and that's in one sitting, I've seen Ronald eat three helpings and still have dessert afterwards," she laughed lightly.

Once they'd finished with their lunch, the three contractors returned to their task of fixing up the roof and Hermione took a small plate of food up to Teddy and she woke him for lunch. After he'd eaten everything he could manage, she cleaned him up before they spent time in his room, playing with his toys and reading and he soon fell asleep once more. After putting him to bed, hours had passed since lunch and she headed downstairs, being surprised to walk into the sight of Paul, Jared and Sam moving her furniture.

"What're you doing?" She questioned slowly, pausing in her steps.

"Moving your furniture for you obviously," Jared grinned.

"You don't have to do that, it's not in your job description," she pointed out.

"Anything for a beautiful woman," Paul winked but he was soon silenced and avoided her gaze when a growl sounded from Sam.

"Where would you like this, Hermione?" Sam asked, his tone joyful as he gestured to the dark coffee table currently being carried by him and Jared.

"Just there, please," she pointed to the middle of the room.

The large comfortable couches were moved to surround it, one at the head of the table and one at the side, with the matching armchair opposite and the fireplace facing the couch at the head of the table. When they were done with that, the washing machine and dryer were moved into the kitchen and correctly connected to the power supply.

"Next, your bed," Jared grinned.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," she replied.

"We don't have to but we want to, you did make us lunch, I can't say any other client has done that before," Sam grinned.

After conceding, it took almost an hour to put the bed together simply due to the tiny screws involved and their much larger hands which meant they struggled to hold them, something Hermione hadn't been able to keep quiet about. When it was complete, it sat in the middle of the back wall, the dark leather headboard pressed against the wall and the bed frame covered by the same material with four storage drawers hidden beneath it, two on either side.

"That's a fucking big bed," Paul whistled, looking between her tiny frame and the large bed. He would swear she could lie horizontally and still not reach either side of the mattress.

She shrugged her shoulders, unfolding her arms and pushing away from the wall after having propped herself up against it. "I like my space. Anyway, thank you for today. I don't want to keep you much longer, I'm sure you have better things to be doing than talking to me."

"Not really," Sam answered, his heated gaze held on her.

"Actually, we have that thing," Jared commented.

"What thing?" Sam's attention snapped to him and he didn't look happy at the thought of leaving.

"You know, that thing? That thing with the Council, the meeting we have about the school? They want the leaky roof fixing," Jared replied, stepping forward and clapping him on the shoulder.

Although his expression morphed into confusion, he reluctantly nodded and turned towards her. "I guess we'll see you in the morning," he said, his gaze longing.

"You will," she agreed, "And I'll even make lunch again."

"Woman after my own heart," Paul laughed only for it trail off when Sam glared at him, a growl sounding in his throat.

"Well, we better go," Jared said quickly. "See ya later, Hermione."

He placed his hand on Sam's shoulder, nudging him forward and guiding him out of the room with Paul following behind.

"I think you need to talk to the Council, now," Jared muttered as they descended the stairs.

"Why?" Sam grumbled.

"You just do."

~000~000~000~

Later that night, Sam entered his cabin to find Paul and Jared eating pizza at his kitchen table.

"Don't you have homes to go to?" He grouched.

"We have patrols in half an hour," Jared shrugged, casually taking another bite of the pizza slice he had in his hand. "So, what did they say?" He mumbled around the food in his mouth.

"I love her," Sam muttered.

"Who?"

"Hermione,"

"You've only just met her," Paul snorted.

"I love her, she's my imprint."

Paul promptly dropped his pizza slice on the table and Jared choked, slapping himself on the chest as he coughed.

"Oh shit!" They both whispered, one more strained the other.

"She's hot," Paul said suddenly, "And that accent... And fuck can she cook..." The growling coming from Sam silenced him quickly and he cleared his throat. "Sorry, that explains all the growling and glaring you did when we got too close to her."

"And why you couldn't keep your eyes off her, you were always trying to get her attention away from us and you stared at her when you first met, it's why we got out of the truck. We heard her speaking to you but you didn't reply, you didn't even move," Jared said amused.

"So, Hermione, she's your future wife then?" Paul grinned.

Sam groaned, falling into the chair on the opposite side of the table and dropping his head into his hands. "She's more than that," his voice was muffled but they were able to hear him perfectly. "She's my imprint, my life, my other half, she has control over me like no one else. She completes me, she makes me better, stronger," he explained and with his eyes covered he was unable to see them looking between one another and then staring at him.

"What does it feel like? It's rare, isn't it?" Jared asked curiously.

Sam nodded. "So rare the Council hasn't had a record of it happening since the last wolf pack decades ago, and even then, only _one_ wolf imprinted. It feels... it feels incredible," he admitted, pulling his head from hands and releasing a sigh, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest. "I've never felt anything like it. I feel stronger, more powerful, I feel...Happy. Just being in her presence... Everything's brighter. Her smile, her laugh, I live for it. She is my heart, my soul, my gravity, I live for _her_. I live to protect her and to love her. Whether she wants me as a lover, friend, brother or protector, I will be that for her, whatever makes her happy," he finished, the two younger men staring at him silently, at the smile that pulled at his mouth and the softening of his voice.

"When I first saw her... I swear, my heart stopped only to pick up at a faster pace, beating only for her. She was all I could see, all I could smell. God, her smell!" He sighed, "I could feel the wolf, it was purring in my chest, begging for me to get closer to her. There's something different about her."

Paul snorted. "You're just saying that because she's your imprint."

"No," Sam shook his head with a frown. "Didn't you notice it? Her smell, she smells different, underneath that sweet and fruity scent, there's something else. It smells familiar but I can't quite place it." They both frowned thoughtfully. "And there was that room, why did she skip it?" He thought aloud

"Maybe she was hiding something," Jared shrugged.

"But what?" He mused, silence falling around them.

Paul broke the silence when he clapped his hands together loudly, drawing their attention. "So, what's the plan, how should we woo the fair maiden so our dear Alpha gets his future wife?" He grinned, Jared laughing and Sam scowling at them in annoyance. "Relax, you've staked your claim on her," Paul held his hands up. "She's yours but we're still going to be overly friendly with her, it's fun. You know, there's something about her, something about her presence."

Jared nodded in agreement. "I noticed it, too. Calming, my wolf was calm."

"Mine too," Paul confirmed.

"That's interesting," Sam frowned thoughtfully.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Sunday 30th October 2005**

Ten days after leaving England saw the house being well on its way to being restored to its former glory and Hermione and the three contractors having spent a lot of time together, quickly becoming friends. 

She observed that Sam was the leader of their little group, at twenty-two, he was older than Jared and Paul who were both eighteen. Sam was the serious one, always keeping the other two in line, keeping them on task. But he was kinder with her, he gave her soft expressions and laughed when she told him stories.

Jared was the calm one, the joker, the number of pranks he’d tried to play on her was ridiculous and he’d failed every time, growing up with the Weasley Twins having taught her a few things. She only wished she could bring out some of the joke products that George had gifted her, stating it was, “To keep away the many guys that would try to jump her bones.”

And Paul, Hermione immediately knew he was the ladies man, the womanizer, the flirt. He would try to flirt with her and she would only respond by laughing at him. Sam would growl at him and Jared would laugh at her ability to, “poke and prod until it deflated his massive ego.”

She liked them, she felt comfortable around them, so comfortable that they had quickly slipped into a routine.

Hermione would wake and make breakfast and she would put a plate aside for Teddy as he was usually still asleep. The boys arrived early and coffee would be waiting for them in the now complete kitchen, and it was clear they were surprised by how quickly she’d had it decorated, especially when she had no one to help her. The day after they’d finished working on the kitchen, they’d stepped into the house to see soft blue walls, white marble countertops, light wooden cupboard doors, matching breakfast bar and all appliances being silver in colour, tying everything together. Whilst they knew she could’ve easily painted the walls by herself, she knew they suspected she’d had someone in to change the countertops and cupboards after they left for the day.

The day after they’d completed the living room, they walked in to find the red walls with gold accents, red cushions placed on the seating areas, a plush white rug sat in front of the fireplace and a few white beanbags nearby. Large framed photographs covered the walls, photographs they could only assume were of her friends back home, the people Hermione had told them about. Jared would’ve sworn he saw one of the pictures moving, two laughing red-headed twins being chased by an angry Hermione with snowballs flying through the air, but when he blinked and looked at the photo again, it was ordinary. He’d thought he was going crazy.

The day after they’d finished the dining room, they walked in to see the same soft blue walls as the kitchen and more photographs lining the walls. A large, solid oak table that seated ten was in the centre of the room with ten matching chairs and blue padded cushions.

When they’d completed the family room, the next day they arrived to see the majestic purple walls with silver accents, a small game table with matching chairs, two large soft couches against two walls in an ‘L’ shape and they were facing the fifty inch flat-screen TV that hung on the wall, with several game consoles and controllers on the shelf beneath and games to match. Whilst the other rooms hadn’t been changed or improved in the regard of flooring, the family room had been given a soft grey carpet.

They were always on the lookout for other rooms she may have decorated but that wasn’t until they finished their breakfast. So after their coffee, they would eat any ‘leftover food’ Hermione had left from breakfast but she’d deliberately started making more than enough for everyone, before they made a start on another room in the house, leaving the outside of the building for last. When they were busy working, Hermione would head upstairs with breakfast and wake Teddy for the day, feeding him, dressing him and then spending time reading and playing in his room.

After putting him down for a nap, she’d head to the kitchen and make lunch, calling the boys for lunch. After the teasing and laughter, they returned to their work and Hermione would wake Teddy from his nap and feed him his lunch with him usually napping again a few hours later when she said her goodbyes to the boys for the day, something that had quickly morphed into a hug or kiss to the cheek. They’d grown close so quickly they didn’t bother to knock when they arrived in the morning, rather waltzing in with Paul calling out a, “Honey, I’m home,” it being followed by Sam’s growl and Jared’s laughter.

After sending them on their way, she’d turn her attention to doing a little more decorating before making dinner, spending some time with Teddy and putting him to bed, turning in for the night only to wake up the next morning and do it all again.

The boys had never seen Teddy; they didn’t even know he existed. It wasn’t that she was keeping Teddy a secret, because she wasn’t, she loved him and was proud to be his Godmother. The problem was Teddy; he wasn’t comfortable with people he’d never met before and he’d been that way for as long as she could remember. And he was still learning to control his Metamorphmagus abilities; she couldn’t risk him using his abilities in front of the boys. Although, she was beginning to think that she wasn’t the only one to be keeping secrets; she’d noticed things about her three friends.

One, their temperature wasn’t normal; it was far too high to be normal. She’d once told them to go see a healer and after their confused expressions, she’d quickly realised her mistake and backtracked, only for them to laugh off her concerns. The outdoor weather didn’t seem to affect them no matter the temperature, most of the time they walked around shirtless, sweat caused by hard work glinted on their muscled forms and for the first three days, she’d openly gawked and blushed, doing her best to avoid them as they teased her but she was used to their habits by this point. 

Two, they ate an obscene amount of food; in the ten days since they met her, she’d been food shopping three times. She thought the Weasleys could put it away but those three boys alone weren’t far behind.

Three, she had heard them arguing, more specifically, Paul and Sam. Sam’s voice would suddenly deepen, almost echoing and Paul would be silenced immediately, looking away from Sam in submission. It was odd.

Four, they smelled strange. Not bad, but just odd. There was something familiar about their scent and the more time she spent with them, the stronger it got and sooner or later she was sure she’d be able to identify it.

Five, she was drawn to them. There was something about them that she craved the need to be around them, to protect them, mother them, she wanted to see them happy and she wanted them to be safe. The thought of them getting hurt in any way scared her. She’d almost had a fit when Jared had sliced his hand open on the handsaw, but he simply covered it with a tea towel and waved off her mothering tendencies, sending her back into the house with his laughter being left behind her.

Six, they healed quickly. She’d seen each of them with a cut or scrape somewhere on their bodies and the next day they’d be healed. The only way that was possible was if they had access to magical healing or potions, which of course they didn’t.

Seven, they were fast. They had fast reflexes, faster than normal and she’d witnessed it on several occasions. Catching falling objects, catching her when she tripped over their equipment or wires, swatting the damn bluebottles that had been terrorising her for days.

Eight, Sam. She was drawn to all of them but there was something different about Sam. When Sam was outside getting equipment from the truck, she found herself looking out of the window, staring at him, unable to take her eyes off him. He had a strange effect on her. When he was around she felt relaxed, content. When he touched her, her heart fluttered and her stomach twisted, her magic tingled and her breath hitched. She knew he’d noticed because he always looked pleased with himself, he was finding excuses to touch her more frequently. She always caught him staring at her and he never looked embarrassed, his gaze would darken and he would look at her hungrily and she would feel the urge to shiver and run and jump into his arms but she never did.

Nine, they were strong. She’d seen them carrying support beams that would’ve needed ten men to carry, they managed between the three of them alone. And all of this confirmed they had secrets of their own.

That morning, as she stood turning the bacon over in the pan, the three contractors walked into the house, as usual, without knocking.

“Honey, I’m home!”

She chuckled as Paul waltzed past her, kissing her on the cheek and picking up the mug that was now _his_ , and sitting down at the breakfast bar.

Jared greeted her the same way, kissing her cheek and grabbing _his_ mug before taking a seat at the breakfast bar. Sam walked over to her and kissed her cheek, too, only his kiss was closer to her ear and his lips lingered a little longer than Paul and Jared’s had, her breath hitched and she heard him chuckle lowly in her ear.

“Morning, Beautiful,” his voice rumbled in her ear, causing goosebumps to erupt all over her body.

She deliberately took a deep breath and pulled herself together.

“Morning, Sammy,” she grinned up at him and he chuckled. He only allowed her to call him that, Paul had tried once, it’d resulted in a broken arm.

He grabbed _his_ mug and sat at the breakfast bar before she followed, placing their breakfast before them and taking a seat herself as they began their morning routine, only things were different that morning as the cries of a child echoed through the house.

They all paused in their eating, looking around in confusion.

“What’s that?” Asked Jared.

No matter Teddy’s reaction, Hermione knew it was time to introduce the three contractors to the little man in her life.

“Teddy,” she replied, giving them an apologetic smile when their confusion seemed to double. “I’ll be right back,” she promised, standing from her seat and heading for the staircase.

“Good morning, Teddy,” she greeted cheerfully, his cries quieting as she stepped into the room and approached the bed.

“Mia, Mia,” he sniffled, lifting his arms above his head and she chuckled, reaching out and setting him on her hip, pressing little kisses to his face until all signs of his cries and sniffles had faded and he was laughing and squealing.

“Listen, Teddy,” she started, putting a serious expression on her face so he knew he had to listen to her. “Mia has some very good friends downstairs, they’re helping to make our new house pretty. They are special to Mia. Would you like to meet them?” He looked far too hesitant to agree but much to her surprise, he slowly nodded. “They don’t know about magic, so you can’t do any of your special tricks that you do for your Aunts and Uncles, okay? We have to be careful.”

“I be goo’,” he squealed and she laughed at him.

“That’s my Teddy Bear,” she praised, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she left his bedroom, descended the staircase and stepped into the kitchen.

It was difficult to miss the choked noise of surprise they all made at seeing the little boy on her hip.

“Fuck! She has a kid!” Paul whispered, his mouth falling open and his eyes widening comically.

“Boys,” she started nervously, halting in front of their shocked forms, Sam seeming to be the worst of them. “This is Teddy.”

“You have a kid?” Sam asked slowly, looking at the sandy-blonde hair and grass-green eyes of the boy that clung to Hermione in fright. He looked nothing like her. They didn’t share the same nose or mouth shape and his skin was a shade or two darker than her ivory tone.

“Technically,”

“He doesn’t look like you,” Jared observed.

“He’s my Godson,” she explained, seeing the way they all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at the news.

“Godson?” Sam questioned, looking less like he was going to be sick.

“Yes, Harry and I are his Godparents.”

“If he’s here, where are his parents? Are you watching him for the week?” Paul asked.

Her expression darkened and anger filled her usually kind features, they recoiled in surprise having never seen her so furious. It was actually terrifying.

“They were murdered,” she spoke coldly, the three boys making choked noises of surprise. “When they died, his Grandmother, Andromeda, became his legal guardian and Harry and I helped her as much as we could. Andromeda died of cancer a short while ago; we didn’t even know she was ill. Other than myself and Harry, Teddy has no other family and as much as Harry loves him, his work schedule doesn’t accommodate for a child, mine, however, does. I work from home so I can be with him at all times. I officially adopted Teddy a few weeks before moving here,” she finished, the anger seeming to fade and she suddenly looked tired, but neither of them commented on what she’d revealed. “Please, say something,” she whispered. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Jared asked her, it wasn’t judgemental, more curious and she sighed in relief.

“I’m not ashamed of Teddy, I could _never_ be ashamed of him, but he doesn’t like meeting new people, he gets scared and isolates himself, he goes quiet and clings to me. Also, I didn’t want you to judge me, I don’t care what people think of me but I do care what my family thinks of me. We’ve become really close since my moving here, I consider you to be family and I do care what you think.”

“We wouldn’t have judged you,” he denied.

“But you did,” she said softly, seeing the shame on their faces as they realised the truth in her words. “I heard you, I saw your reactions. You all assumed that I’d gotten knocked up at the age of seventeen, because that’s the age I would’ve been; Teddy is nineteen-months-old.” They genuinely looked disgusted with themselves and it hurt her to see them so upset. “It’s okay,” she said quietly, pushing Teddy’s long and messy hair away from his eyes.

“It’s not though, we judged you without even knowing your story,” Paul said sadly. Sam hadn’t spoken, he looked worse than the others, his reaction obviously affecting him more than them.

“It’s a natural human reaction, it’s completely understandable,” she said with a soft smile.

“We’re sorry,” they chorused in a whisper.

“I know and I forgive you.” She looked to Sam, seeing his guilty expression and she offered him a smile. 

“That room next to yours, you didn’t show it to us,” Paul mused.

She nodded. “It’s Teddy’s bedroom, he was sleeping at the time and I didn’t want to disturb him. We only arrived here that morning and he was exhausted from the travel. I had to wake him just to eat but, he slept most of the day. I told you that I picked this place on the map, actually, Teddy picked it, didn’t you?” She directed her question to the little boy on her hip.

“Ted-dy do it,” he exclaimed proudly, clapping his hands excitedly and they chuckled.

“So, do you boys think there’s room for the best Godson in the world?” Hermione asked, using her free hand to tickle Teddy’s ribs until he squealed and laughed loudly, pulling an automatic smile from the three boys.

“Of course, we need a new member of the pack,” Paul replied, winking in Sam’s direction and receiving a glare. 

“Teddy, these are Mia’s very special friends, Paul, Jared and Sam.” Hermione pointed to them and he looked at them shyly and they grinned goofily and waved at him.

“Hiya Teddy, I’m Uncle Jared,” he spoke grinning, standing from his seat and moving over to her. He held his hands out to Teddy and to Hermione’s complete and utter surprise, he _willingly_ went into Jared’s arms, laughing loudly as Jared spun him in circles and then put him on his shoulders, jogging around the room as Teddy clapped and squealed.

“What’s the matter?” Sam asked her, seeing her surprised expression and slightly parted mouth. 

“He’s never done that before, the only people he’ll allow to hold him are myself and Harry, he’s nervous around the Weasleys and he’s known them since the day he was born. What he’s allowing Jared to do is _not_ normal,” she explained, dropping down into Jared’s empty seat.

“Let’s see,” Paul mused before standing from his seat and approaching Jared, the other contractor seeing his approach and lifting Teddy from his shoulders before he threw him in the air, Paul easily catching him and then tickling his ribs, Teddy squealing with laughter.

“Bloody hell,” Hermione muttered.

“Your turn,” Paul grinned at Sam, giving him a knowing look.

From the corner of his eyes, Sam saw Hermione looking to him expectantly and taking a breath, he slowly held his hands out to the little boy and Paul wasted no time in depositing Teddy into his arms. Sam held him awkwardly before bringing him closer so he didn’t drop him, resulting in Teddy standing on his lap. He stared up at him, his grass-green eyes locking with his before he unexpectedly leaned forward and wrapped his small arms around Sam’s neck, burying his head against his shoulder and hugging him.

Hermione gasped in surprise and awe, her eyes shining with unshed tears and Sam seeing her reaction, felt his wolf purring in pride that he was the cause of her undoubted happiness and he carefully rubbed his hand over Teddy’s back. Paul and Jared shared a smirk and a quick fist bump.

Teddy pulled back to look up at Sam, tilting his head slightly. “S... S... Sa... Sam,” he stuttered, beaming when Sam nodded with a smile and Hermione laughed as she wiped at her eyes. 

“He has trouble with his S’” she told him, seeing Teddy looking Paul and tilting his head the other way.

“Ball,” he called, the others laughing.

“Close enough,” he grinned, reaching out and taking him from Sam, throwing him in the air and catching him with Teddy squealing in laughter.

After the third throw, Paul directed him towards Jared and he caught him, setting him on his hip and grinning down at the laughing child

“J..J... Ja... Ed,” Teddy attempted.

Jared grinned goofily. “That’s right, Uncle Jared,” he ruffled Teddy’s blonde hair.

“He’s a cute little guy,” Paul commented, “He’s going to break a few hearts when he gets older.”

“No!” Hermione said darkly, them all turning to her in surprise. “Teddy is _not_ going to get older, he’s going to stay my little Teddy Bear forever, aren’t you, Teddy?”

“I be goo’,” Teddy nodded seriously before going crossed-eyed from the action and they laughed at him.

“Are you hungry, Teddy?” Hermione questioned.

“Hu...n...ry,” he tried to repeat and she smiled at him.

Standing from her seat, she removed the pre-plated and cut food from the oven and set it on the counter before taking Teddy from Paul, settling him on her lap and handing him a fork, watching as he attempted to feed himself, clapping and praising him when he managed to put a bit of sausage into his mouth by himself.

The others returned to their seats and proceeded to eat the remainder of their own food whilst helping Hermione to praise Teddy as he continued to feed himself. Not only did it make Teddy happy but Hermione, too, and they beamed in pride.

Hermione had quickly become an important person in their lives. She was their friend, mother and sister all wrapped up into one; she was a part of the pack, and now, so was Teddy. They’d felt awful when they’d judged her and it was obvious they’d hurt her but they each vowed to make it up to her.

Hermione caught sight of Teddy eyeing the boys and she knew what was about to happen. She noticed the tips of his hair beginning to darken and his skin tone, too, so she quickly attacked his cheeks with kisses and tickled him to distract him. Thankfully, it worked and he squealed in laughter, no one had noticed. It was going to be difficult to keep their secret. 

Paul and Jared weren’t blind to the way Sam was staring at Hermione adoringly, a smile tugging at his mouth as he watched her interact with the young child.

“So, are you ready to be a father?” Jared mumbled quietly but knowing Sam’s hearing would pick up on it.

Sam looked up at him, unable to hide the fear that spiked through him but he took a calming breath and answered, “Whatever they need me to be.” 

Once they finished with breakfast, Hermione stood to leave so she could ready Teddy for the day but she was interrupted.

“We’ll do that,” Jared said, nudging Paul with his elbow.

“What? Oh, yeah, we’ll get the little guy ready for you,” Paul agreed, quickly catching on and without waiting for an answer, they both stood and Jared took a willing Teddy from her before they left the kitchen.

Blinking slowly as she watched their retreating backs, she gave her head a shake and a smile pulled at her mouth, thinking that the boys would be good for Teddy. Clearing away the dishes and taking them to the sink, she turned around when she felt Sam’s presence behind her.

“I’m sorry, Hermione,” he said sadly, a pained look crossing his face.

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not, I hurt you and...”

His speech trailed off when she stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms immediately folding around her and pulling her closer to him. He ducked down and his head went to her neck, his nose grazing the length of her neck and he inhaled her scent, sighing.

“I’m really sorry.”

“I forgive you; you’re my boys, after all.”

He drew back but didn’t release her from his hold, looking down at her amused. “ _Your_ boys?” He questioned with a smirk.

“Of course,” she nodded, “I wasn’t just the school swot.”

“No?” His lip twitched.

“No, I was the school’s mother hen, too.” He laughed at her. “There was not one thing that Harry and Ron did that I didn’t know about,” she said proudly and he snorted before his expression softened.

“I’ll help you in any way I can, with Teddy I mean, as will Jared and Paul,” he promised her.

“You don’t have to do that,” she said softly.

“But I _want_ to, my mother was a single mother, granted, she was a lot older than you but I know she struggled. She struggled every day, right up until her death a few years ago, I did what I could to help her and I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

She stared at him softly after his admission before drawing him back into a hug and he didn’t stop her, his hold on her tightening. 

“What about you? Why did your parents let you move to another country by yourself? And with a child? Are they going to visit?”

He felt her body stiffen and he pulled back from her, his brow furrowing in concern at her pained expression.

“No, they won’t be visiting, they disowned me last year,” she confessed.

“What?” A growl rumbled in his chest and his hold on her tightened.

“They disowned me; I did something they didn’t agree with. They said a Granger, their daughter, would never do what I did.”

“And that was?”

“I protected them, when I said I’ve had a hard few years I wasn’t kidding. I protected my parents the best I could and they didn’t agree with my methods. They were disgusted with me; I could see it on their faces. They kicked me out of the house and they said they never wanted to see me again.” She sniffled, tears leaked out of her eyes and his heart clenched as he reached up and wiped away her tears with his thumbs, cupping her face with his hands and she leaned further into his touch.

“It’s their loss, you’re an amazing person.”

She smiled sadly. “I’m really not, Sammy. I’ve done some things in my life that I’m not proud of but they were necessary for survival.” He stiffened at her words. “And now, I’m just trying to find a way out of the darkness, trying to keep my head above the water. That’s why I moved here.”

“What d’you mean by that?” He frowned.

“I’m not ready to tell you but when I am, I promise, we’ll talk about my past, but some things should be kept locked away forever.”

Hearing footsteps, she noticed Paul and Jared stood by the breakfast bar and they held worried expressions on their faces. She drew back from Sam completely and reached up to wipe away the rest of her tears, forcing a smile onto her face. 

“What is it, boys?” She asked with a faux cheery tone.

They eyed her carefully. “We’re not exactly sure how to change him,” Jared replied, pointing to Teddy’s nappy and Hermione laughed.

“I’ll take care of it, we’ll be starting potty training before long, that’ll be fun,” she sighed as she approached, taking Teddy from Jared and leaving them in the kitchen as they heard her footsteps on the staircase. 

“I didn’t like the sound of that conversation,” Jared commented and Paul nodded in agreement, a frown marring his features.

“No, me either,” Sam agreed, his eyes trained in the direction of the staircase despite not being able to see it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 11

**Tuesday 15th November 2005**

“Hermione!” She heard Jared’s voice carry from the floor above and she winced, her hands rubbing at her temples.

Why they insisted on working on the house on a Tuesday was beyond her! Well, logically she knew most people worked weekdays and despite telling the three contractors to take the day away from their tasks, they’d waved her off. She’d wanted them away from the house for a reason and that particular Tuesday was not a good one.

Turning away from her workbench, she crossed the room, climbed the steps and opened the door, poking her head around the edge to see Paul, Jared and Sam sporting expressions of concern whilst Teddy was perched on Jared’s hip and happily tugging at his hair before he leaned over and tugged on Paul’s.

From the moment they’d arrived that morning they noticed Hermione’s odd behaviour. She’d winced whenever they spoke over one another or raised their voices or when Teddy squealed, she’d screwed her eyes shut when she in direct sunlight, she’d continuously rubbed at her shoulders and neck, she’d had bags under her eyes and she’d looked as though she were battling nausea when they’d been eating their pancakes.

“Are you okay?” Jared frowned in concern.

“Yes, why? What is it?” She snapped irritably. Ah, there was that, too. Snapping at them for no reason.

“Nothing, it’s just lunchtime,” Paul said lightly.

She looked at them dumbly. “And?”

“So...” He hesitated, “What’s for lunch?”

“I haven’t made anything, you’ll have to get it somewhere else,” she scowled.

They stared at her in surprise before she slammed the door shut with a ‘bang’.

“Hermione, what’re you doing in there?”

They felt their eyes widen and they looked to one another in surprise when a frighteningly feral growl sounded.

“I’m working!”

“Can we come in?” Jared asked.

“No, this is my lab; I have dangerous chemicals in here. Go and have lunch and take Teddy with you, too, will you?!”

“Of course,” they chorused automatically before glancing to each other and then leaving in search of a coat for Teddy before Hermione had the chance to bite their heads off again.

As they stepped out of the house, they came to the decision to walk rather than drive since the local diner wasn’t far from Hermione’s though they knew it would take longer than usual as they had a young child with them but that didn’t stop him from running ahead of them unsteadily across the sand, falling to his knees before getting back up again.

“I wonder what her problem is today,” Sam thought aloud with a confused frown marring his features as he stuffed his hands in his jean pockets.

“Hangover?” Jared muttered in suggestion but they barely glanced at one another before they discarded the thought.

Not only had they yet to see Hermione drink alcohol despite them knowing she might have done so after they left for the day, they often rummaged through her cupboards or ransacked her fridge in search of snacks and hadn’t seen any alcohol present in her stores.

“PMS?” Paul offered. They looked at each other and silently nodded in agreement. “She’s going to be like this all week,” he thought, a visible shiver racing down their spines.

“Terrifying,” Jared muttered. “I’d rather face a leech.”

“Come on, let’s pick up the pace, I think little Teddy’s hungry,” Sam spoke, jogging over to Teddy, picking him up in his arms and throwing him in the air before catching him and Teddy giggled.

Paul and Jared shared a smirk before they caught up to him and with Teddy no longer walking but rather alternating between being piggybacked, carried on someone’s shoulders or perched on someone’s hip, they reached the diner soon enough, stepping into the warmth it offered.

Whilst the diner was in need of a revamp or at least a new coat of paint, they didn’t so much mind the outdated decor. The diner had been standing for as long as they could remember and they’d all grown up with in their childhoods. There weren’t many patrons present but that was expected. The diner was mostly frequented by the teens of La Push and with it being a school day, foot traffic wouldn’t pick up until school finished for the day, even if it were lunchtime. Having quite the choice of seating, they chose a booth to the left and by the window, Sam sinking into the black vinyl seats with Teddy being closest the window so he couldn’t run off and Jared and Paul sat opposite. But as they looked over the menu despite already knowing it by heart, Teddy found it more amusing to stand on Sam’s lap so he could tug on his hair.

As they waited for their food arrived, they turned their attention to keeping Teddy entertained, being aware of the glances and sighs from the few women that were present with Jared and Paul smirking smugly and Sam ignoring it.

“Sam, my boy, how are you doing?”

Sam lifted his gaze from the colouring sheet Teddy was drawing on with his crayon (something the waitress had brought over for them, Sam being grateful as he was starting to get a headache from Teddy’s constant tugging on his hair) and saw Billy Black approaching with the friendly smile he was known for, his son, Jacob, gripping the handles of the wheelchair and pushing him forward.

Sam’s head tilted slightly as he observed the young teen carefully. He could feel it, the change was coming; he just had to wait. Feeling Teddy wriggle on his lap, Sam lowered his gaze to see the young child trying to reach for the red crayon which had rolled across the table and Sam selected it before handing it to the child, receiving a grin in thanks before Teddy shifted from sitting in his lap to standing on the seat, tucked into his side.

“Ah, I remember this little one, Teddy, right?” Billy smiled at Teddy and he reached over, pretending to try and steal his nose.

Teddy giggled and wrapped his arms around Sam’s neck, his head burying against his shoulder shyly and Sam brought his arm up, wrapping it around him to prevent him from falling. The last thing he needed was to take him home with a bump on his head. Considering Hermione’s current mood, her reaction would be far from pleasant.

“What’s with the kid?” Jacob asked him warily.

“He’s Hermione’s Godson, she’s not in the best of moods today,” she answered, Jacob looking surprised by the deep tone to his voice. If Sam remembered correctly, this was the first time Jacob had actually spoken to him in months.

“PMS,” Jared and Paul injected and a sudden laugh fell from Billy’s mouth.

“Ah, I remember those days,” he shook his head, fond memories of his wife and twin daughters flashing through his mind.

“We thought we’d bring him out for lunch before we head back to work,” Sam finished.

“Who’s Hermione?” Jacob asked confused.

Billy rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Hermione, I’ve told you about her; she bought the house on the beach and donated to the school. Such a lovely young woman, very kind,” Billy praised, noting how Sam beamed in pride and Paul and Jared did so a little, too.

“She’s a genius,” Jared inputted. “We’ve no idea what she does for a living, some sort of Chemist, Herbalist and Biologist rolled into one, she graduated her boarding school for those with special gifts and talents early,” he shrugged. “And she can cook.”

“She’s hot, too, has _the_ best accent ever. Ow!” Paul hissed, scowling at Sam and reaching down to rub at his aching shin after Sam had kicked him under the table.

“And how are things with Hermione?” Billy asked Sam.

“Progressing,” he replied.

Billy beamed. “That’s wonderful, and it seems you have a new friend,” he nodded to Teddy.

“Hermione cried when we met him,” Jared told him, “She said Teddy won’t allow anyone to hold him except herself and his Godfather but he had no issue with us when we met him. He’s even taken to following us around whilst we’re working. Don’t you, Teddy?” Jared looked to the young child, snorting at the sight of Sam trying to wrestle the crayon out of Teddy’s mouth.

At Jared’s question, Teddy finally relented and Sam breathed a sigh of relief as he set the crayon on the table.

“Ted-dy do it, I be goo’,” he grinned at him. 

Jacob observed them in confusion and surprise. He had it on good authority from Embry that Paul, Jared and Sam were members of a gang, that they were mean and bullies and were known to lord their weight around. But as he watched their attentive behaviour towards the little boy and how they spoke fondly of the same girl, it puzzled him.

“What about Leah?” He blurted out before he could stop himself. Their eyes snapped to him and he had to fight the urge to take a step back. The whole Res knew about Sam and Leah’s break up and it was a nasty one, one that was still the topic of gossip.

“We broke up for reasons that I could not control,” he said, his already deep voice growing deeper. It was a tone of warning, one that Jared and Paul knew all too well.

“Hermione’s had a hard few years,” Billy purposely interrupted, pulling their attention from his son and to him.

“How do you know? Did she tell you? She’s only told us a little about why she moved, but the things she has mentioned are a little troubling,” Sam’s brow furrowed.

“No, my dear boy, she hasn’t told me. Let’s just say that where Hermione comes from, she is quite the celebrity.”

“Why did the Council let her buy property on the land?” Paul asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“We know of Hermione Granger, we know what she has done and what she has sacrificed for a great number of people. Hermione Granger is a hero. When she is ready I believe she will tell you everything you need to know, just as you will her,” he gave them a pointed look. “Hermione’s an incredible young woman and she’ll do great things for the people of our Tribe, whether she knows it or not. She is a protector, a fighter and a survivor; that is why we allowed her to buy the house.”

~000~000~000~

“What do you think Billy meant?” Jared asked aloud as they made the journey to Hermione’s house, unable to take the silence as they each tried their best think on Billy’s words.

“I wish I knew,” Paul shrugged.

“She’s keeping things from us,” Sam scowled unhappily.

“Hmmm, but to be fair, we’re keeping things from her,” Jared argued. “Besides, she said she’d tell us, just give her time.”

~000~000~000~

Later that night, Hermione could be found perched on the couch in the living room, rubbing at her temples and glaring down at the floor. It was silent, Teddy having already been fed, bathed and put to bed and when the floo roared to life, Hermione’s glare shifted to it. Harry stepped out, brushing down his jeans and t-shirt and Severus was soon behind him, dressed in his customary black robes.

“Hey, Hermione, I missed you,” Harry greeted quietly as he approached her and then held his hands out, pulling her up from the couch and into a hug.

“I missed you, too,” she pulled back from him. “Sev,” she greeted tiredly.

“Hermione, you look awful.”

“Thanks,” she glowered, a growl slipping from her lips and he chuckled at her, accepting her hug. 

“Will you give us a tour of your new house?” Harry asked.

“It’s not yet finished but the boys have done an amazing job so far,” she rubbed her temples. “But, can it wait until later; I don’t feel up to it right now?”

“Of course,” he said softly.

“Thank you for doing this,” she sighed. “Teddy’s asleep, if you could make breakfast in the morning that would be great.”

“Anything you need, I’ve been here since day one, I’m not leaving you now.”

“Don’t be alarmed if three shockingly large males waltz in. Sam, Paul and Jared, I wrote to you about them. Have a cup of coffee ready for them. In the blue mug have a black coffee with half a sugar, in the mug with the image a cartoon chimp have coffee with a quarter milk and one sugar and in the “Trust me, I’m awesome” mug have coffee with a third milk and one sugar. As for breakfast, it doesn’t matter, just make a lot of it, as if you were cooking for the Weasleys.”

“Okay,” he said slowly and confused.

“Are you ready?” Severus asked her.

“Yes,” she sighed, “Let’s go.”

After ensuring her wand was safely tucked up her sleeve, he followed her out of the house before she curled her arm around Severus’ and then sidelong apparated them to a section of the La Push woods she’d scouted.

“These woods go for miles but there are properties not far away, the wards will have to be as strong as we can make them.”

“We’ll each add to them,” Severus nodded.

He took out his wand and started to erect basic wards around a five mile radius and once the foundations had been set, he added to it, making them stronger. When he stepped back, she took the mantle of erecting her own wards and thanks to her stint as a fugitive, she’d grown to be quite efficient in warding magic.

“I’ll be here in the morning,” Severus promised her.

She silently nodded in response before she stepped through the wards, feeling the magic wash over her, locking her in. That was it; she wouldn’t be able to leave until the next morning. 

~000~000~000~

**Wednesday 16th November 2005**

“Honey, I’m home,” Paul called as he opened the door and waltzed in as if he owned the place and as usual, Jared and Sam followed behind, one snorting and the other growling Only Paul came to a sudden halt, Jared walking into the back of him with Sam doing the same to Jared, Paul receiving an annoyed glare and a growl of warning from the Alpha. 

“You’re not Honey,” Paul’s brow furrowed in confusion, staring at the pale man that perched at the breakfast bar, his chin-length hair black and slightly greasy, his eyes so dark they appeared black and his nose hooked like a beak. If his presence wasn’t odd enough, he wore what could only be described as black graduation robes.

“Evidently,” the man drawled. “Dunderheads,” he muttered before ignoring them completely and lifting the newspaper, hiding his face from view.

Sam form had tensed, his hands clenched by his sides as growls rumbled in his chest at the sight of the unfamiliar man in his imprint’s house, barely taking notice of Paul’s interaction with him or Jared visibly sniffing at the air.

“There’s _two_ males here,” he muttered quietly, knowing Sam would be able to hear him.

Hearing footsteps, they turned their heads towards the staircase just as someone entered the room with a dozing Teddy perched on his hip. They’d never seen or met him before and he was a stranger in Hermione’s house, holding her Godson. His dark hair looked as though it had yet to be brushed, his round glasses hid bright green eyes and a faded lightning bolt shaped scar sat on his forehead.

He halted in his steps at the sight of them. 

“Bloody hell, what do they feed you here?” He blurted out in surprise before his expression morphed into embarrassment. 

“Idiot,” Snape sighed.

“Err, sorry about that. That was rude of me,” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Who are you? What’re you doing here?” Jared asked warily as Paul glared at him and Sam was growling behind him. It was low enough that only they were able to hear it but he knew his Alpha wouldn’t be able to control himself for much longer.

“What?” He frowned in confusion, his eyes darting between them, sensing danger.

They were surprised when his demeanour suddenly changed. He stood taller and his stance became defensive, ready for an attack. His eyes narrowed suspiciously and his face set hard as his free hand moved to his back pocket but didn’t move further.

“Give me the boy,” Sam ordered, stepping around Paul and Jared.

“And why would I do that? I don’t know who you are,” he replied stiffly.

“Give me the boy,” a growl rumbled in his voice. At the sound, Snape lowered his newspaper and arched an eyebrow, and Teddy startled awake, his eyes blinking tiredly.

“Ball?” Teddy questioned sleepily and with a tilted head.

“You don’t have a ball,” Harry frowned.

“Teddy, come to Uncle Jared,” he spoke calmly, stepping around Sam and slowly approaching, holding his hands out towards him in expectance for the young child to fling himself at him. That didn’t happen. In fact, he seemed to cling tighter to him.

“I am not handing over my Godson to a stranger,” the raven-haired man snapped, taking a step away from him.

Jared froze and slowly lowered his arms down by his sides. “Hold on a second, Godson?”

“Godson,” he clarified with a stiff nod.

“Harry, right?” Jared guessed.

“Yeah,” he replied, eyeing him cautiously.

Jared’s tense form relaxed before he twisted to look behind him at his packmates. “Hey, this is Harry, Hermione’s friend, the one she talks about all the time,” he explained, his eyes darting about the room and seeing the photographs. “Look at the photos; he’s in most of them.”

Sam’s low growls stopped but his eyes never strayed from him. Paul shrugged his shoulders before waltzing over to the mugs on the counter, selecting his and taking a sip of coffee as he reached for one of the plates and took a seat at the breakfast bar, making a start on his food without a second thought or glance to those around him.

“Who’s he?” Sam’s deep voice rumbled, tipping his head towards the man hidden by the newspaper.

“Severus,” Harry Potter shrugged.

“It’s Professor Snape to you, Potter,” the greasy-haired man sneered, violently turning the page of his newspaper whilst his glare settled on him.

Harry rolled his eyes and shifted Teddy’s weight on his hip. “Ignore him, he’s been like that since my first year. I don’t know why someone that hates children would become a professor.”

“I don’t hate children, Potter,” Snape drawled, “Just incompetent idiots, which just happens to make up ninety-seven percent of the school populace,” he replied, his attention back on his newspaper and Harry rolled his eyes so hard his eyelids fluttered.

“Where’s Hermione?” Sam asked him.

“She’s not very well, she’s in bed,” Harry shrugged before reluctantly handing over Teddy to a waiting Jared, watching in surprise as he went willingly, immediately tugging on his hair and giggling as Jared tickled him.

“Interesting,” Snape mused thoughtfully, observing their behaviour.

“What? What d’you mean she’s not well?” Sam asked quickly.

“PMS,” Harry shrugged, eyeing him curiously at the way his entire body seemed to relax. 

“She was a bit grouchy yesterday, kept snapping at us. We had to take Teddy out for lunch. Frightening,” Paul spoke with a dramatic shiver for effect.

“Trust me, Mate, you’ve seen _nothing_ yet. Hermione Granger’s temper is famous all on its own,” Harry responded and Snape snorted in agreement.

“Ball,” Teddy squealed.

“You don’t have a ball, Teddy,” Harry sighed, making a mental note to get him one seeing as he wanted one so much.

“He means Paul,” Jared clarified, approaching Paul and handing him Teddy before he moved to collect his own coffee and breakfast.

“I’m going to check on her,” Sam informed them, making for the stairs.

“That’s not a good idea,” Harry stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Paul and Jared dropped their forks with a clatter against their plates, their eyes widening a little at the sight and preparing to intervene should they need to.

“I’m going to check on her,” his repeated, his deep tone lowering dangerously.

“No, you’re not,” Harry’s voice deepened as well, surprising the others. “I’ve known Hermione since I was eleven-years-old, she’s my sister in everything but blood. When Hermione’s like this you leave her alone. In three hours time, you can give her a mug of hot chocolate and a chocolate bar but don’t wake her. Two hours after that, you can give her a blue-rare steak for lunch but don’t wake her. An hour later, you can give her up some pasta, don’t wake her up. When it comes to dinner, you give her beef, lamb or pork, better yet, all three. Tomorrow morning she should be fine.”

“I’m going to check on her.”

“No, if you want to live, you’ll listen to my instructions.”

“Are you threatening me?” Sam challenged, towering over Harry by a good eight inches but it didn’t deter the young man as he stared up at him unaffected.

“No, I’m warning you. You haven’t seen Hermione like this before, I have. She has a routine. If you wake her, she’ll kill you,” he said seriously. “The beef, lamb and pork are already cooked, they just need heating up and there’s a steak in the fridge.”

Not wishing to argue further, he stepped away from him and headed over to Paul, Teddy being happy to see him as he went willingly into his Godfather’s arms before they retrieved Teddy’s coat and left out the door. .

“As much as I hate to agree with the idiot,” Snape sighed, “He is trying to help you, Miss. Granger is not her usual self on a day like this; she would have no reservations about hurting you. Just ask Potter, she broke his nose when he accidentally interrupted her.” They stared at him silently. “I have business to attend to,” he told them before standing from his seat and leaving the room, his robes billowing behind him.

“Well, that was eventful,” Jared broke the silence and Paul snorted.

“Where’re you going?” Paul arched an eyebrow when he saw Sam making for the stairs. 

“To Hermione,” the Alpha responded with a tone that said his actions were obvious.

“So, you’re not gonna listen to their warnings? I know you’re worried about her but if they say she’s fine, then she’s fine. They’ve known her far longer than we have.”

“He’s got a point,” Jared nodded in agreement. “We should eat breakfast and see if we can get the second bedroom on the second floor done today for when she wakes. You can check on her when you take her food.”

~000~000~000~

Sam had made Hermione a hot chocolate just the way she liked it and grabbed a chocolate bar from the cupboard before he headed up the stairs and to her bedroom, knocking on the door and slowly stepping inside. As he closed the door behind him, he took in his surroundings, seeing the vast difference between now and when he’d first seen it weeks ago.

The feature wall was painted lime green with the remaining paintwork being a chocolate brown, the flooring beneath was light woo and a small chandelier hung from above. All doors in the room were a dark brown and the bay window was littered with various shades of green cushions and the lime green curtains were currently closed. Two dark wood bedside tables were on either side of the bed with metal lamps and lime green lampshades sat on the surface. Dark brown bedding and the matching quilt set made up her bed, with green and brown cushions being spread on the floor after they’d been thrown from the bed. There was a lack of furniture present but he was reminded of her walk-in closet and there being no need for anything but the bed and bedside tables. He found he liked it, it was different, simple but the size of the room was not.

His eyes settled on the bed where Hermione was sleeping soundly in the middle of the mattress, her small frame swamped by the thick covers. He stepped closer and set the mug of hot chocolate and chocolate bar down on the bedside table before his eyes swept over her sleeping face, his expression darkened considerably. She had scratches littering her face, some cuts deeper than others, her skin appeared to be a sickly-grey and she had dark bruises beneath her eyes.

“Get out before I hurt you.”

He startled at the sound of her voice but her eyes were closed and her breath slow and even, the only indication that she was awake being that she’d spoken.

“Hey, it’s Sam,” he said softly.

“I know, I smelled you from the stairs.”

He frowned when her voice came out as not the musical sound he had come to love but a hoarse, raspy sound; almost as if she’d been screaming for far too long a time. His worry growing, he didn’t think to consider her comment about ‘smelling’ him from the staircase.

“Sam, I don’t want to hurt you but I won’t be responsible for my actions, please leave. When Ronald broke my routine, I broke his clavicle.” He stared in surprise. “I know Harry’s spending the day with Teddy before he returns to London in the morning and I know Severus will be in my lab because he’s a nosy bastard and my previous mentor, he can’t help but snoop through my work.”

“Right, I’ll leave you alone,” he said slowly, heading for the door but hesitating when he reached for the handle and he twisted to look behind him. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I will be if you don’t break my routine.”

He swallowed before promptly leaving the room, closing the door behind him and making his way to the floor above, stepping into the bedroom they were currently working on.

“She broke his clavicle?” Paul arched an eyebrow in amusement.

“Apparently so,” Sam replied.

“But she’s so _tiny_ ,” he said fondly.

“There’s things she’s hiding from us,” Sam scowled. “You should’ve seen her, what’s wrong with her isn’t caused by PMS.”

“What makes you say that?” Jared asked curiously.

“She has scratches and cuts on her face, she’s too pale and she has bags under her eyes. I know you heard how hoarse he voice sounded.”

“She’ll tell us, that’s what Billy said,” Jared shrugged.

“But _when_?” Sam growled in annoyance.

“Maybe when you tell her,” Paul smirked, promptly avoiding his gaze and returning to his task of plastering the wall when Sam shot him a glare of warning.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 6

**Thursday 17th November 2005**

Early the next morning Hermione was up and back to her regular self. It was far too early to make breakfast as not only were Teddy, Harry and Severus still asleep, the sun hadn't yet risen. Not wishing to wander the house and accidentally wake her guests, she thought it best to make a quick trip to the warded area of woods and dismantle them. Whilst they were fitted with defensive mechanisms and muggle repellents, there was always the chance of someone stumbling upon them and accidentally getting injured and that was something she wished to avoid.

Rather than apparating, she thought a run was in order to kill a bit of time and after readying in a pair of trainers, a white long-sleeved t-shirt and black running pants, she pulled her into a high ponytail and cast a Warming Charm over herself before tucking her wand into the waistband of her pants and leaving the house.

It hadn't taken as long as she'd estimated it would to reach the woods but once she did she picked up her pace, not only because the terrain was more challenging but she wished to see how well her senses and speed had truly improved. She ran through the woods, dodging rabbit holes and leaping over too large broken logs or roots, her feet crunching against the broken twigs and leaves, her breathing coming out in pants and the cold wind brushing against her cold skin. When she felt the tingle of magic washing over her, she knew she'd reached the warded sight and had already passed through. She halted to a stop, allowing herself a moment to catch her breath before she pulled her wand and went through the motions of dismantling the wards, it taking only twenty minutes as her magic had been involved in the setting process, making it far easier than if she were dismantling someone else's wards.

After checking the time with a charm and seeing it was only a little after six-thirty in the morning, she looked around her surroundings before making a decision and taking off in a run, exploring a little more of the woods.

It was a short while later when she hadn't seen the rabbit hole and she fell right into it, a squeak falling from her lips as she tumbled forward, landing on her stomach but her hands catching her fall. Pulling her foot free, she turned onto her back and sprawled herself on the ground, looking up at the sky as a giggle fell from her until it was laughter she couldn't control.

It stopped suddenly and she sprang into a sitting position, her eyes darting about in search of her surroundings and her wand gripped in her hand. She'd heard a noise. She felt her eyes widen and she held her breath the moment a huge figure stepped out from the cover of closely grouped trees. It drew closer and the moment her gaze focused, she knew what it was. A wolf.

It was the biggest wolf she'd ever seen (not that she'd seen an actual wolf before) and certainly lager than the average wolf. It was at least eight feet tall, its fur so dark in colour that it easily blended into its environment during poor lighting. If it weren't for her own eyesight she wouldn't have seen it at all.

During situations like this there were only three options; flee, fight or freeze and Hermione was doing everything in her power to control instinct to run, knowing the wolf would be more inclined to injure her if she presented herself as prey.

But then the wolf did something odd. It dropped to the ground on its stomach and slowly crawled towards her, the closer it got, her breathing calmed and her tense form relaxed.

"Umm, hello," she said nervously when the wolf stopped at her side, it being so large that despite being laid on the ground, it was taller than her. Its nose unexpectedly brushed against her thigh and she startled, unsure of what to do when it lifted its head and rested it on her lap.

She froze in place, realising that she was in an unbelievable situation and despite knowing it went against her better judgment, it didn't stop her from lifting her hand and petting the large wolf's head, running her fingers through its soft, thick fur. A purr-like noise sounded and its eyes fluttered closed, Hermione's mouth pulling into a disbelieving smile before laughter followed when the wolf's tongue fell out of its mouth and lolled to the side comically when she scratched behind its ears.

At the sound, the wolf's eyes opened and Hermione made a noise in the back of her throat; she'd seen those eyes before. She saw them every day at breakfast, she caught them staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking. They were Sam's eyes.

She tentatively took a deep inhale of the scents around her, noting the dirt, flora and damp in the air before Sam's scent washed over her, overpowering her senses until it was the only thing she could smell.

And suddenly everything made sense. His behaviour, his strength, his reflexes, his healing, his appetite, his smell.

_Bloody hell, he's a shape-shifter!_

It took her all but a moment for the realisation to be processed and then a smile was pulling at her mouth. If he was a shape-shifter, it meant he was different. It meant that he would understand her, her past, that is, if she ever told him. _And if Sam's a shape-shifter, Paul and Jared must be, too,_ she realised, her smile widening.

Paul's word suddenly returned to the front of her mind. _"We need another member of the pack,_ " he'd said with a wink.

Should she play with them a little, have a little fun with it? Or should she come clean and reveal that she knew their secret? She bit her lip in thought before her mouth tugged at the corners.

"You know what?" She spoke to the wolf. "We should give you a name," she mused, dark eyes looking up at her. "And I know just the perfect one, how 'bout Sam?" She asked coyly.

The wolf's eyes widened and it took everything she had to stop herself from laughing. And with that reaction she knew she was right. The wolf before her _was_ Sam and given what she knew about their behaviour and the current time, she surmised he was completing his patrols when he'd stumbled on her.

"Sam's one of my boys, but there's something about you, you remind me of him, maybe it's because you're so cuddly," she spoke, scratching under his chin. "And I don't think Sam will oppose to me naming a wolf after him, I'm sure he'll be rather flattered. I'm convinced every person has a spirit animal and if I had to guess, I'd say Sam's was a wolf." The wolf's eyes widened further and she bit the inside of her cheek before her eyes lifted, seeing the changing colour of the sky and she knew it was best if she returned home. "I'm sorry to cut this meeting short but I must get back, I have breakfast to make and friends to say goodbye to. I'm sure you have a pack you must be getting back to. Be careful in these woods, Sammy, who knows what's lurking in them."

The wolf released a strangled whine and she suppressed her laughter before the wolf moved away from her, slowly rising to its feet and she did the same until she was almost three feet shorter than the larger animal. She ran her hand through its fur one last time before turning and walking away, when she was out of sight, she gripped her wand and turned on her heel.

~000~000~000~

Landing in her living room, Hermione grinned at the sight of Severus and Harry sat at the breakfast bar, neither looking as though they'd been awake for long and they were in the middle of a glaring match. She'd seen this before. It was a battle of wills, one she knew Harry would lose until he sulked away and made a start on breakfast.

Snorting, she all but skipped into the kitchen, filled the kettle with water and switched it on before pulling food from the cupboards and fridge, pulling their attention.

"What's got you so happy this morning?" Harry asked amusedly.

"I've figured out a mystery," she replied happily.

"And pray tell, _what_ is this mystery?" Severus drawled.

After she finished pulling down the mugs from the cupboard she spun to face them, leaning back against the counter.

"The mystery of Sam, Paul and Jared." They both arched an eyebrow in unison and she sniggered; as much as they hated each other, they were alike in so many ways. "Their appetites, their quick reflexes, their size..."

"Bloody hell, they were huge," Harry interrupted and he released a whistle, "I know you told me about them, but I wasn't expecting _that!_ " She snorted at him. "But what's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, I believe they also have advanced healing and strength. When I woke this morning I went for a run through the woods, I thought it best to remove the wards in case a muggle accidentally stumbled upon them," she shrugged. "A large wolf stumbled upon me." Their expressions told her to continue and to do so fast. "But it wasn't a regular wolf; it had to be eight feet tall, at least. He approached me on his stomach, crawling over to me and I petted him. When he looked at me, his eye's looked exactly like Sam's and he smelled like him, too."

"You're saying the wolf was Sam?" Harry said sceptically but Severus appeared to be thoughtful as he tipped his head slightly and his brow furrowed.

"Yes, I _spoke_ to the wolf and it understood me. I may have dropped a few hints and went as to name it Sam. You should've seen the look in his eyes, the funniest thing I have ever seen," she laughed.

"But it can't be," he blinked slowly.

"It is possible," Severus mused, agreeing with Hermione as she turned her attention to quickly fixing their beverages, coffee for Harry and tea for herself and Severus.

"I _know_ it's Sam and I'm certain Jared and Paul are wolves, too. When I went to visit with Kingsley before my move, he gave me a file to read. There's three known shape-shifting wolves in La Push, something to do with the Tribe having legends of spirit warriors protecting the land." She approached and set their respective drinks before them as she leaned against the breakfast bar, her arms flat against the surface and her own mug held between both hands. "The American Ministry had them under observations for a week and they were deemed not to be dangerous to human life. They were simply patrolling the borders, protecting their land and people."

"From what?" Harry asked.

"Vampires," she spat.

Harry choked on his coffee, receiving a disgusted glance from Severus before he flicked his wand, cleaning the mess Harry had made.

"There's vampires here?!" His voice rose slightly.

"No," she lied; well not technically, the vampires were in _Forks_ , not La Push. "But one or two have been known to pass through. The wolves take care of them and they've never hurt a human."

"The biggest one..."

"Sam," Hermione injected after he paused, not knowing his name.

"He seemed rather protective of you," Severus commented innocently.

Hermione's brow furrowed, her eyes lowering to stare at the steam emitting from her mug and she nibbled at the corner of her lip.

"It's okay, Hermione," Harry said softly. "I could tell from your letters that you like this Sam character. It's okay to move on; it's what he would've wanted."

"I don't want to betray his memory," she whispered, her throat tightening and her eyes stinging as she fought back tears.

"You won't be betraying his memory, you'll be living for him." Harry set his coffee down before he tugged her into his side, reaching up to wipe away the tears that fell down her cheeks. "Honestly, Hermione, you can have feelings for anyone you wish to. I suppose that it's a suspected shape-shifter isn't too bad. If he has all of these amazing abilities you say he does, then he can keep you and Teddy safe. Not to mention, he won't judge you for your own circumstances."

"I hope so," she whispered.

"Are you gonna tell them you know?"

She took a breath before standing taller and lifting her chin, giving her head a shake.

"No, I thought I'd have a little fun first."

"George's been a bad influence on you," he chuckled.

"He's helped me a great deal, too," her voice quietened.

"I know he did, I know," he replied softly.

~000~000~000~

Later that morning, Harry and Severus left through the floo network and returned to London long before Sam, Jared and Paul arrived. Whilst Teddy was still sleeping, she knew they would soon arrive and with breakfast already prepared she turned her attention to making their coffees and plating up their food. It was during this time when they arrived only when the door opened, Paul didn't call out, Jared didn't laugh and Sam didn't glare. Looking to them she smiled, seeing their anxious expressions; it seems Sam had filled them in on their interaction in the woods.

"Morning, boys, breakfast's ready," she greeted cheerily.

"Where're your friends?" Paul asked nervously.

"Teddy's still asleep and Harry and Severus left early this morning, they had a plane to catch," she shrugged.

"What happened to your cuts and scratches?" Sam frowned.

"What cuts and scratches?"

"The ones you had when I checked on you yesterday?"

"I didn't have any," she said innocently. "Must've been the lighting in the room," she shrugged. "Anyway, breakfast, eat it before it gets cold," she ordered.

They hesitantly moved forward, sitting at the breakfast bar and taking their food and coffee and making a start on eating it but they never took their eyes off her.

"So, have you had a good morning?" Jared questioned, his eyes darting to Sam and then back to her.

"Lovely, thanks, I want for a run in the woods, I had the strangest interaction with a wolf," she hid her smirk behind her mug when they all choked on the food in their mouths before she plastered a look of concern on her face.

"A wolf?" Paul squeaked out.

"Hmm, eight foot tall. It had the softest fur," she sighed, "As dark as the night sky, and large brown eyes, very beautiful," she admitted. "It reminded me of you," she looked at Sam, his eyes widening. "I hope you don't mind but I named him after you, Sammy. As soon as I saw him I just knew it was perfect. I believe that everyone has a spirit animal, you three, in particular, I would think a wolf." They choked on their coffee and she bit her lip in amusement.

"Really?" Jared spluttered. "What's yours?"

"That depends on who you ask, I suppose. Some would say the otter; playful, wise, optimistic, capricious, light-hearted. Some would say the lion; noble, powerful, protective, courageous, skilful, witty, prideful, charismatic. Others would say the wolf." They all spluttered. "Loyal, patient, intelligent, instinctual, family orientated, free, responsible, reliable, protectors," she shrugged. "I've been described as all three throughout my life, more so the lion until recently."

"Why a lion?"

"My school, I told you there were four houses, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, I was a Gryffindor and the emblem's a lion, I'm sure I've mentioned that Harry and the Weasleys were Gryffindors, too. We're known for being chivalrous, prideful and stupidly brave with no sense of danger or self-preservation," she shrugged. "So, since some think of me as a wolf, and I think you're wolves..." They spluttered again. "Can I join your pack?" She grinned, seeing their speechless forms with their eyes wide and mouths parted.

Oh, Merlin, was she going to have some fun.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 12

**Thursday 24th November 2005**

Five weeks after her move, the renovations on the house were officially complete and Paul, Jared and Sam had worked so hard to get the job done as quickly as possible without cutting corners or making mistakes. The outside of her house shone with a fresh coat of white paint, her new double glazed windows gleamed, her soft carpeted flooring that the boys had insisted they install for her were heaven on her feet and she even enjoyed the laminate-wood flooring, after having races across the floor in her socks against Paul and Jared whilst Sam and Teddy laughed at them, particularly when Hermione cheated and Paul and Jared ended up face planting the floor.

There were no words to describe how grateful she was for all the hard work and effort they’d put into their work and now seeing the finished results, it had only cemented her decision to stay in La Push.

But it was bittersweet; the boys wouldn’t be at the house every day, she wouldn’t make breakfast for them, she wouldn’t hear Paul shouting his usual greeting, Jared laughing and Sam growling. She wouldn’t have Jared fail at pranking her, Paul sneaking food when he thought she wasn’t looking or Sam watching her every move closely.

She would miss them, or at least, she thought she would.

“Are you insane?” Jared asked her. “Of course, we’ll be here every morning, whether we have another job or not this is our first destination.”

“Yeah, who else can make breakfast and coffee like you?” Paul agreed, earning a slap on the back of the head from Sam. “Not that that’s all your good for, obviously, it’s just your cooking is _the_ best,” he groaned appreciatively.

“You were worried we wouldn’t visit you?” Sam’s brow furrowed.

She nibbled at the corner of her lip nervously before nodding. “You have no reason to be here now that the renovations are complete.”

“You’re joking, right?” Sam chuckled. “You can’t rid of us that easily, like Jared said, whether we have a job in La Push or in Forks we’ll be here every morning to have breakfast with you.”

She visibly calmed at the news, a smile pulling at her mouth. 

“But right now, we’d better go,” Jared said, “We have a school’s leaky roof to fix.” He drank the last of his coffee before setting down his mug and then piling his empty plate on top of Sam’s and Paul’s. 

“Again?” She frowned.

“It would be better if the entire roof was replaced, to be honest, but the school doesn’t have the funds,” Sam shrugged.

“Yet,” she muttered with a determined look on her face and they all arched their eyebrows as one. “Anyway, before you go,” she turned towards the fridge and pulled the three envelopes from beneath the magnets, each one being the first initial of their names before she approached the breakfast bar and set them down before them.

“What’s this?” Paul asked, reaching for his and opening it to reveal deposit receipt.

“Your receipts, I’ve already had your wages deposited into your bank accounts,” she replied, pushing her hair back from her face and over her shoulder.

“And how do you know our banking information?” Jared questioned amusedly.

“It’s best I don’t answer that.”

They snorted before each casting a glance to their own receipt, spluttering in surprise. 

“Ten thousand dollars!” Paul cried. Jared almost fell from the stool and Sam stared in disbelief.

Hermione’s brow furrowed. She thought she’d been more than fair but she supposed they had been working exceptionally hard for the last five weeks.

“Is that not enough? I deposited more into your account to reimburse you for supplies and I might have given you a bonus for a lack of damages and completing the house so quickly. Not to mention, you helped with the moving and assembling of furniture, you installed the carpets and flooring and you’ve all but been babysitting Teddy these last few weeks, none of those things being in your job description. Would you like another five thousand?”

They stared in disbelief, Jared dropping his head into his hands and releasing a choked noised.

“You’re paying us ten grand for five weeks of work?”

“Yes, you worked exceptionally hard and you boys deserve it,” she folded her arms over her chest.

“But, it’s ten grand,” Jared spluttered, lifting his head to look at her with wide eyes. ”That’s a hell of a lot of money. The work we did was easy and required little skill.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stop selling yourselves so short. I couldn’t have done what you’ve done. And it’s not ten thousand, it’s thirty; I gave you ten each.”

“Each!” Jared and Paul cried, looking as though they might faint.

“Each,” she confirmed with a firm nod.

“The average annual wage it thirty to forty thousand. In five weeks alone you’ve given us a quarter of that!” Jared spluttered, his gaze darting between her and the receipt that he’d dropped onto the breakfast bar.

“Hermione, we can’t accept this,” Sam finally managed to find his voice. “I only had an estimate of the final invoice but it was nowhere near what you’ve given us. It’s too much.”

“No, it’s not and, yes, you can. You more than deserve it, you’ve earned it. And besides, you can’t give it back; I made sure the bank would refuse you a return,” she smiled smugly.

~000~000~000~

As Hermione busied herself with collecting the dishes and cleaning the breakfast bar, Paul, Jared and Sam were by the door with the two younger contractors whispering to him.

“Go on, ask her,” Jared insisted.

“No,” Sam replied flatly.

“Just do it.” She heard the roll of Paul’s eyes from across the room and she felt a smile of amusement pull at her mouth. 

“Fine.” Sam growled, glaring at them before he walked away from the door and back into the kitchen. “Hermione?”

“Yes, Sammy?” She spoke, turning around at the sink after she deposited the dishes into the soapy water. She gave him a smile; it was unusual to see him nervous, the only time he appeared that way was when she was dropping hints about her knowing his status as a shape-shifter.

“Well,” he cleared his throat, “We’ve become rather close,” he started.

“We have,” she agreed.

“And... I was hoping that you would have dinner with me? Tomorrow night?”

A small smile pulled at her mouth. “Where?”

“Port Angeles,”

“What about Teddy?”

“WE’LL BABYSIT!” Paul and Jared called and when she turned towards their voices it was to see them stood outside the open kitchen window, grinning at her and giving her a little wave.

She rolled her eyes before turning back to Sam. “Well, if Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb will look after Teddy, then I would love to go to dinner with you.”

Sam visibly relaxed as his shoulders slumped and he smiled. “Great, I’ll pick you up at six, it’s a bit of a drive?”

“I can do that,” she nodded in agreement, sniggering when Sam beamed a smile before he took his leave, walking out of the house with a bounce in his step.

~000~000~000~

**Friday 25th November 2005**

To say Hermione was nervous would be an understatement. Sam was due in the next ten minutes and it had been a long while since she’d last been on a date, her previous relationship had almost broken her but the support of her friends she’d gotten through it. It still hurt her and she still felt guilty but the only way to truly move on was to risk her heart again. And for Sam, she was ready to do that.

She stood before her floor to ceiling mirror, scrutinising her appearance. She had no idea where Sam planned on taking her and had no idea of how she should dress so she decided on the safest choice available, a little black dress, Every girl had one including Hermione.

The dark fabric sat off her shoulders and the sleeves fell all the way down to her wrists, covering her arms but showcasing her shoulders, neck and collar bones. The neckline showed a small amount of cleavage but was modest, the cinched in waist fit to her curves and the dress ended at mid-thigh. She pinned her hair back from her face with pretty glittery pins, allowing her curls to fall down her back and she wore silver strappy heels on her feet. A touch of eye shadow added a shimmer to her eyelids and a little mascara had her lashes looking a little longer and fuller. Hidden beneath her dress and out of view, her wand was strapped into the holster on her thigh. Grabbing her silver clutch purse, she turned and left her bedroom before she could change her mind.

Paul and Jared had arrived a little while ago, allowing her time to ready for her date whilst they watched over Teddy and she could hear their voices in the living room.

“Fucking hell!” Paul cursed the moment he caught sight of her descending the stairs and he seemed to be struggling to take his eyes from her and Jared didn’t seem to be any better.

“Language!” she scolded in what they had come to learn was her bossy tone. You did what you were told and you wouldn’t face the wrath of Hermione Granger. Not that they wanted to, after hearing that she’d broken her friend’s nose and her other friend’s clavicle, they didn’t wish to see what she was capable of when she was mad.

“Paul, close your mouth; you look ridiculous.” His mouth snapped shut but his eyes remained on her. “Jared, slap him for me,” she sighed. Jared automatically lifted his hand to slap Paul over the back of the head but his eyes didn’t leave her either. “It’s rude to stare,” Hermione chastised, shifting on her feet uncomfortably.

“Who’s staring? Fucking ...”

Hermione’s eyes darted towards Sam as he’d paused midway in stepping into the house. His eyes were glued to her, devouring every part of her and she couldn’t feel annoyed or uncomfortable as she was doing the same to him.

His black leather jacket hung over his arm, his white button-down that didn’t do much to hide the expanse of muscle underneath as it clung to his biceps and his forearms were on display with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He wore smart, dark jeans and a pair of smart-looking trainers on his feet. His hair looked slightly damp and his smell overpowered her senses; outdoors, pine and strangely, apple.

“You look...” He trailed off, unable to finish his compliment.

She forced herself not to blush and she smiled. “Thank you, you look quite dashing yourself,” she replied to his obvious flustered state. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Paul and Jared staring between them, smirks pulling at their mouths and she cleared her throat. “Right, boys, as soon as we leave I want him in bed and he’ll be flat out after his bedtime story. No house parties whilst I’m gone.”

“Yes, Mom,” they saluted jokingly.

Narrowing her eyes and pointing to them in warning, she turned and approached Sam, retrieving her coat from where she’d left it by the door. She slipped on the tan coloured winter coat and Sam offered her his arm which she graciously accepted. She was grateful he’d parked as close to the house as possible as she struggled to walk across the sand with her heels but Sam was soon opening the door for her and helping her into the truck before he climbed into the driver’s side and their journey began.

~000~000~000~

For Hermione it wasn’t too long a long drive to the restaurant in Port Angeles as conversation and laughter had flowed easily. When they reached their destination, Hermione was relieved to see the restaurant was semi-formal and that her current choice of clothing was appropriate and she’d neither over or underdressed. As Sam escorted her into the building, she scanned her surroundings seeing pale yellow walls, dark flooring and furniture, soft lighting and a bar that was located at the back of the room.

After stepping inside, Sam helped Hermione to remove her coat before doing the same for himself and they hung them up in the cloakroom as they were directed towards the check-in station.

“Reservation for two under Uley,” Sam’s deep voice spoke. The young woman stood behind the podium looked a little surprised as a blush coated her cheeks and her eyelids fluttered. Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Right this way, Mr. Uley,” she all but purred.

She led them through the restaurant and to the centre of the room, putting a deliberate sway in her hips. Hermione knew, she’d seen it happen enough times in Hogwarts and she trained her narrowed eyes on the woman’s back. She must’ve been able to sense it as she peeked over her shoulder, her face paling and her eyes widening slightly.

When they reached their table, Sam pulled the chair out and Hermione took a seat on the padded cushion before he sat took the seat opposite her. The small table held only their napkin-wrapped utensils and a small floral centrepiece.

“A server will be with you shortly,” the woman said before leaving as quickly as she could.

Sam appeared amused by what he’d witnessed but before he could comment, a young blonde appeared at their table, her dark eyes focused solely on Sam. It took everything she had in her to keep her expression passive and herself calm.

“Here are your menus, I’ll be back shortly when you are ready to place your order,” her words directed to Sam and she smiled coyly before leaving. 

As Hermione reached for her menu, she glared at the cursive font before she peeked over the top of it when she heard Sam’s chuckle.

“Shut it,” she mumbled, his laughter growing louder.

When the blonde returned she took Sam’s order of steak and Hermione’s order of pasta after Sam had given her a less than pleased look, and they both opted for water. Conversation remained light and fun until their food arrived which is when Sam’s choice of questions grew more personal. 

“What’s your biggest secret?”

She sipped from water to hide her smirk. “If I told you that it wouldn’t be a secret,” she replied. “Besides, that’s a mystery for you to solve, something to keep you busy.” He chuckled at her. “But, I think I know yours.”

“You do?” He questioned, trying to hide his sudden nerves but failing.

“Yes, but as of right now, I think it’s speculation and I need more evidence before I make my revelations,” she lied, when in fact she was certain of Paul, Sam and Jared being shape-shifters. His eyebrow arched by he didn’t comment. “So, I know this is technically the first date but do you want to have the awkward ex’s conversation now or later?”

“Now, I suppose.” He reached for his water and looked as though he wished it were something with more of a kick to it before he took a swig and set it back on the table. “I’ve had three, the first two didn’t last long and aren’t really worth mentioning. My last girlfriend, however... We started dating in sophomore year and we were together for almost four years before we broke up over reasons neither of us could control. It was months ago and I’m over it now,” he shrugged. “Your turn.”

“You make it sound so simple,” she sighed, a sad look crossing her face. “Technically, I’ve had three, too. My first, I was fifteen and my school hosted a tournament in the hopes of making connections with other international schools. The two schools involved were from Bulgaria and France and they stayed at the castle with us for the school year.”

“Castle?” He questioned in surprise.

“Yes, did I not tell you my school was a castle?” She tipped her head with a slight frown and he confirmed that she hadn’t. “Oh, sorry, I thought I had. Well, it was a thousand-year-old castle in the Scottish Mountains. It was always freezing, the temperature here is nothing compared to the castle, even in the summer you had to have fleece bedding,” she said with a light laugh. “Anyway, one student from each school was chosen to compete for the title of the Champion. Viktor Krum was chosen as Bulgaria’s. He’s a professional athlete.”

“You dated a professional athlete?” He guessed. Whilst she hadn’t actually said the name of her ex-boyfriend yet or confirmed anything, he had a feeling it would be him and he was proven correct when she nodded. “How? How’s that possible if he was a student?”

“Well, he was the youngest professional athlete Europe had seen; at the age of seventeen he was already playing for Bulgaria’s national team and had been for three years.” His eyes widened. “When he wasn’t at school, he was training with his team. Anyway, he noticed me because I didn’t fawn over him like the others did, male and female, Ronald was particularly overcome with emotion, he idolised Viktor,” she rolled her eyes and he laughed at her. “I hadn’t noticed but he used to follow me to the library a lot and a few weeks later, he asked me to the Yule Ball. Before I knew it, we were dating.”

“Why did you break up?”

“At the time, he was seventeen and I was fifteen. He not only lived in an entirely different country but his career wouldn’t allow time for a girlfriend. The language barrier was a bit of a pain, too. I adored Viktor but in the end, he had to go home since he graduated that year and he didn’t have room in his life for me. It’s as simple as that.”

“And your second boyfriend?” He prompted, not being blind the way her face suddenly crumpled with pain and grief. _What had he done to her? Had he hurt her?_ He thought angrily, the wolf growling in his chest.

“How about my last boyfriend first?” She suggested, not giving the opportunity to reply. “I say he was my boyfriend but there wasn’t anything between us. So much was expected of us after school. From the age of eleven, everyone, the school and Ronald’s family expected us to be together and to get married. I’ll admit, I did have a bit of a crush on him for a few years but it soon vanished; I knew we weren’t compatible, we’re better off as friends and nothing more. We dated for about two weeks before I couldn’t take it anymore. All we did was argue and scream at each other,” she sighed. “I was always tired or angry or upset when he was nearby, so I can’t even call him my ex-boyfriend. There was no relationship other than friendship.”

“And this was?”

“January, just gone.”

“And the second boyfriend?”

He observed her as she took several calming breaths and a steely look entered her eyes as she squared her shoulders and lifted her head, but her hands still shook. His wolf didn’t like it so he reached over and took her hands in his, clasping them together on top of the table and running his thumbs over the back of her hands in a offer of comfort

“Did he _hurt_ you?” He questioned, a growl rumbling in his tone.

“No,” she whispered and he relaxed considerably. “No, he didn’t hurt me. I loved him very much and he me.”

“So why did you break up?”

“We didn’t.” He looked puzzled and though he looked absolutely adorable as he tipped his head like a little puppy, it didn’t stop the tears from swimming in her eyes. But this was not the place to breakdown so she forced herself to take a calming breath. “I told you that Ronald had five older brothers and a younger sister, correct?” He nodded, wondering where she was going with that comment. “What you didn’t pick up on was that I said he ‘had’ and not has.”

He felt his throat constrict and his eyes widen. _Oh God!_ He thought.

“Tell me,” he encouraged her gently.

“The Weasley children, in the order of birth is Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George, Ronald and Ginny. Fred and George were twins, identical right down to the last freckle. I’d known them from the age of eleven and given how close I was to their family, we grew up together. I was the only person who could tell them apart; Mrs. Weasley often asked me to identify who was who, especially when they kept swapping clothes and names to confuse everyone,” she trained her eyes on the white table cloth, a smile of fond sadness pulling at her mouth as she chuckled softly. “But they could never fool me and believe me, they tried everything and it got to a point when they begged me to stop tattling on them or at the very least, to admit how I could tell them apart when no one else could.”

“Fred and I started dating the Christmas of my fifth year and his seventh and final year, I was sixteen and him seventeen. We had to keep it a secret but of course George knew, but Ronald has a knack for being cruel to me, he always knows what ammunition to use to hurt me the most. If he discovered I was dating his older brother, and Fred at that, he would’ve been relentless,” she sighed tiredly. 

“The twins were highly popular and well-liked in school; they even had their own fan club, which they were both incredibly proud of, but equally as horrified,” her mouth twitched. “Fred and I were complete opposites, we were an unusual pair but we worked well. I was studious, hard-working, bossy. He was laid back, mischievous, charismatic. He was incredibly handsome, too; six-foot-two, bright turquoise eyes, fiery red hair and he had the brightest smile I had ever seen and the most infectious laugh, and he _never_ stopped laughing. Whilst the twins were identical, Fred always appealed more to me as he was kinder than George, he knew where to draw the line, unlike George.”

“He used to do this stupid little half-smirk and it annoyed the hell out of me, but I learned he did it to get my attention. He changed me, he taught me there was a life outside of the library, he taught me what it means to laugh and love. And I taught him that if you want something badly enough you can achieve it, that he was a kind man, that he wasn’t a disappointment to his mother. They dropped out of school before graduating and they started their own business, one that’s highly successful and George opened a second shop before I left England.”

“Almost two years later, just after Harry’s seventh birthday and completing our sixth year at school, we both decided it time we told everyone; we were just so tired of having to hide our relationship and given that we’d been together for two years, no one could say it was just a fling and it wouldn’t last or that we were making a mistake. It was clear they were upset that we felt the need to hide it from them but the majority of them were happy for us, everyone but Ron and his mother. In August I was forced to leave due to circumstances out of my control and when I returned in April, Fred proposed the moment he saw me.”

Sam felt his eyes widen, his grip on her hands tightened and his stomach knotted uncomfortably. _Oh, God!_ He thought. Whilst he’d been with Leah for four years, double the time Hermione had been with her boyfriend, and though he’d loved Leah, he’d never proposed to her and neither had they lived together, two big relationship milestones they hadn’t reached before they broke up. Hermione had done one of those and she was almost four years younger than him. She’d been engaged as a teen that hadn’t even graduated.

“I was so surprised I couldn’t speak through my sobs and just hugged me for two hours before I accepted,” her mouth tugged in a fond smile of sadness before she gave her head a shake. “A few days after I was forced to leave again and I didn’t see him until May, and that was the last time. He died.”

He honestly wasn’t sure how to comfort her after learning such horrific news, so he settled for skimming his thumbs over the backs of hands and squeezing them gently.

“How did he die?” He questioned softly, wondering if she’d answer.

“He was murdered,” she whispered.

His heart dropped into his stomach and he felt a sudden wave of nausea.

“And Teddy’s parents?” He supplied, being reminded that they’d found the same end.

“They died on the same day but were killed by different people. I’m not going to lie to you, it was _very_ hard for me after Fred’s death and I struggled. I didn’t eat, I didn’t sleep, I found myself in hospital on two separate occasions, once for dehydration and the other for alcohol poisoning, which is one the reasons I don’t really drink. But with the help and support of Harry, Severus and George, I got better. I helped care for Teddy, I helped George at the shop and I completed my Masters, and now, here I am,” she squeezed his hands, finally lifting her eyes from the table and to him. “I have a Godson that I love more than anything in the world, I have my own home, I’ve found myself a new family and one that Teddy adores, which in itself is unusual,” she had a thoughtful look on her face before she gave her head a shake.

“I was on the phone crying to Harry last night for two hours and then for another three hours to George. When I accepted your dinner invitation, I felt like I was betraying Fred’s memory but they soon set me straight. In fact, George said and I quote,” she cleared her throat, “‘Hermione Jean Granger, you get your delectable behind in a little black dress, doll yourself up and go snag yourself a man. Freddie would be rolling in his grave to see you crying over him. The only form of crying he would accept is the form of laughter, so don’t make me come from freezing-my- arse-off England, over to I’m-sure-to-lose-a-nut-due-to-frostbite La Push,’” she laughed lightly. Sam’s laughter mixed with hers and he felt himself calming when the sadness faded from her expression and she smiled widely, her eyes sparkling but no longer from tears.

“He seems like a smart man,” he commented.

“He is, one of the most intelligent people I have ever met,” she said softly.

“If you felt the way you did, why did you accept my invitation?” He asked curiously.

“You want the list?”

“There’s a list?” His eyebrow arched amusedly.

“There’s a list,” she confirmed.

“Why am I not surprised?” he chuckled.

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m a person that likes to make lists; I like my thoughts to be methodical and organized, deal with it!”

He snorted. “So, the list?” he prompted.

“Firstly, Harry convinced me. Secondly, George convinced me. Thirdly, I convinced myself. But, I suppose the biggest reason is that you’re different, and you’ve only proven that by sitting here, listening to me speak of my awful past experiences. I’m sure if it were anyone else they’d have made their excuses and left long ago. I know you won’t judge me for being cautious with my heart, I know you won’t treat me as if I’m a broken china doll because that’s not what I need. You’re a kind man, Sam, and I don’t doubt you’re destined for great things or that you protect your Tribe in your own way.” His eyes widened and he made a choked sound in the back of his throat. “My point is that you’re special, Sammy, and your ex-girlfriends, whether it was them that broke up with you or you them, they’ve missed out on something rare. I don’t know what it is about you and I can’t explain why but I feel drawn to you. And even though I’m afraid that I’ll mess things up before whatever this is between us can go anywhere, I know that I have to allow myself to take that risk.”

His gaze catalogued the vulnerable, frightened expression of her face and knowing she was speaking the truth, knowing that she was willing to show him weakness, his wolf was purred in his chest. His eyes dropped to her mouth, her lips a little redder than usual as she’d been nibbling at her lower lip for most of the night and the moment the thought of leaning over and kissing her crossed his mind, dessert arrived.

Sam released her right hand, squeezing the other every so often as he ate with the other, his gaze never retreating from hers.

“I’m sorry, Hermione, for everything that you’ve gone through,” his deep voice rumbled softly. “And though I’m certain there’s that you’re still not telling me, I’ll be patient and I’ll give you time. I’ve witnessed your kindness and selflessness in abundance. I’ve witnessed your intelligence and your humour, your playful side and your terrifying side.”

She snorted. “You’ve seen nothing yet, there was this bully in school and he _hated_ me. One day in my third year and when I was fourteen, he was being particularly horrible and said something that pushed me a little too far. I broke his nose,” she told him, her expression free of remorse. In fact, she looked proud.

He blinked slowly before laughter broke free. “I wouldn’t want to get on your bad side,” he spoke through his chuckles.

“You _really_ wouldn’t.” she agreed, her voice taking a dangerous tone and his eyebrow arched questioningly. “Paul mentioned there was a girl he’d slept with that won’t leave him alone, apparently she can’t take a hint. I know he can be a bit of an arsehole but he would never physically hurt a woman. So, this girl, you don’t happen to know her name, do you?”

“Why?” He questioned, almost hesitantly.

“So I can have a little chat with her, that’s all,” she smiled sweetly.

“Erm, no, sorry, I don’t know her name,” he replied, her sweet smile morphing into an unhappy scowl. 

“Fine,” she huffed, “I guess I’ll have to wait until she bugs him again. Besides, I’ll figure it out eventually, you haven’t seen my sneaky side yet.”

“You have a sneaky side?”

“I do, the twins’ business is practical jokes and they’ve taught me a few things. I’m just luring Jared into a false sense of security. He’s got nothing on me,” she said, arrogantly flipping her hair over her shoulder and lifting her chin and he snorted at her. “You think I’m joking? There’s a reason Jared hasn’t managed to successfully pull a prank on me, I was taught by the best. The Weasley Twins are the pranking Kings of Europe. Just keep an eye out and you’ll see what I’m capable of soon enough.”

“I can’t wait.”

~000~000~000~

“Thank you,” Hermione smiled softly at Sam from her doorway.

He grinned back at her, a large goofy smile that she couldn’t help grin wide at and they stared at one another, no words being spoken.

“For God’s Sake!” Paul called from inside the house. “Kiss the girl and make plans for another date already!”

Their eyes darted into the house and then back to each other before they shared a laugh. Paul appeared, shoving past them and jogging down the steps before he climbed into Sam’s truck and shut the door behind him, their laughter only growing louder.

Jared followed Paul’s exit, only at a slower pace. “Just do it, you’ve been tiptoeing around each other for weeks,” he rolled his eyes, stuffed his hands in his pockets and then left down the stairs and headed for Sam’s truck.

“Second date?” Sam grinned.

“Thought you’d never ask,” she beamed.

“Tuesday?”

“Tuesday’s fine!” Paul and Jared chorused from the truck and Hermione laughed.

“Tuesday’s fine,” she repeated.

“Great,” he grinned.

She stood rose on her tiptoes and he bent slightly, pulling her into a hug as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. She heard him sigh and inhale deeply as he took in her scent but she admitted that she did the same.

“I’ll see you in the morning for breakfast,” she whispered against his ear and he hummed in agreement. “Pancakes?”

“You’re a gift from God,” he sighed appreciatively and she laughed lightly.

“I have many flaws,” she assured him.

“Not to me,” he argued.

“I do, and some of them can’t be ignored. People have tried,” she shrugged and he laughed at her.

“Get a move on and stop being soppy!” Paul called from the truck.

“You better go before he riots. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“See you in the morning,” he agreed.

She pressed a kiss to his cheek and pulled back from him, stepping into the house and smiling at him as she closed the door. He sighed happily before he headed for his truck with a spring in his step, climbing into the driver’s seat and switching on the ignition.

“So, how’d it go?” Jared asked with a smirk. “But, judging by that stupid look on your face, I’d say well.”

“Really well,” he grinned before it morphed into a frown. “She revealed more about her past.”

“She did? What?” He questioned in surprise.

“I’ll tell you later.”

~000~000~000~

“So, what did you learn?” Jared asked, perched at the kitchen table with Paul and Sam with three large pizza boxes sat open and three sodas before their respective owners.

“She was engaged,” Sam revealed.

“Fuck!” Paul spluttered, choking on his pizza slice and smacking himself on the chest. “I didn’t see that one coming,”

“ _Was_?” Jared’s brow furrowed but he supposed Hermione wouldn’t have agreed to go on a date with Sam if she weren’t single. “What happened? Did he break up with her? If he did, he’s an idiot, she’s _the_ best.”

“No, they didn’t break up,” he replied, his gaze locked on the table, missing their confused expressions.

“So why isn’t she engaged anymore?” Paul frowned.

“Do you remember when she told us about her friend Ron, the one that has five brothers and a sister?” They nodded. “She said ‘had’ and not has.”

“Shit,” Jared muttered.

“She dated her best friend’s brother?” Paul questioned in surprise.

Sam nodded. “The gist of it is, she dated one of the twin brothers, Fred. They started dating when she was sixteen and he was seventeen. They kept it a secret except from the other twin and they dated for a couple of years before coming clean to their friends and family. She didn’t say why but she had to leave in August and didn’t return till April which is when Fred proposed to, but she left again and didn’t see him till May which is when he died.”

“What happened?” Jared asked.

“He was murdered,” he muttered and they both made choked noises of surprise and horror. “The same day Teddy’s parent’s were murdered.”

“Fucking hell, what hasn’t she been through?” Paul frowned. “Do you think they’re connected? I mean, they have to be right? What are the chances of them being killed on the same day?”

“I do, and I know there’s more that she’s keeping from us,” he sighed, rubbing his hand over his face tiredly. “But aside from the fiancé, she’s had two other boyfriends. One was Ron but they broke up after two weeks, she said it was too awkward, but apparently she dated a professional athlete from Bulgaria when she was fifteen.”

“That’s got to be illegal,” Jared grimaced.

“No, he was seventeen, she said he was Europe’s youngest professional athlete, he started from the age of fourteen.”

Paul let out a low whistle of appreciation. “How did she pull that one off?”

“She didn’t, his school was staying at the castle... Yes, her school was a castle,” he said, amused by their splutters, knowing is expression had likely been the same. “She actually ignored him and he followed her around until he got the nerve to ask her out. They broke up because he graduated that year and he had to return to Bulgaria and his life couldn’t accommodate a girlfriend,” he shrugged.

“Looks like you’ll have to up your game if she’s been engaged _and_ dated a professional athlete, and she’s only nineteen,” Paul smirked.

Sam scowled at him and Jared snorted at them, reaching for another slice of pizza, nearly choking when Sam kicked Paul beneath the table and a pizza slice soared through the air, smacking Paul in the face and leaving grease and tomato in its wake.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 8

**Wednesday 14th December 2005**

For Hermione and Sam, their dates had gone well and their relationship was quickly growing and before she knew it, they were on date number six. With Paul and Jared watching over Teddy, Sam had taken Hermione up to the cliffs with the plan to have a picnic only they’d barely been there ten minutes when Sam had received a call from Jared. Teddy wouldn’t settle for them and he had a temperature and whilst Sam drove them back to Hermione’s house, she spent the majority of the journey apologising whilst Sam simply insisted she had nothing to apologise for.

When they arrived, Teddy’s screams could be heard before they’d even climbed out of the truck and Hermione rushed inside, the two teens looking exhausted, concerned and relieved the moment they saw her, and she was quick to gather Teddy in her arms and she disappeared upstairs.

“We’re sorry about your date with Hermione,” Jared spoke, looking sheepish.

Sam shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not your fault; if Teddy’s not well then it can’t be helped. Take the truck, I’ll get home in wolf form,” he replied, throwing his keys to Jared.

Paul wriggled his eyebrows suggestive. “You’re staying?”

“For now, I can still salvage this date.”

“I bet you can,” he smirked.

“Go, now!” Sam growled, pointing to the door with narrowed eyes.

Jared and Paul were quick to rush out of the house and Sam smiled to himself before he shrugged off his jacket and stepped into the kitchen. He spent more time at Hermione’s house than he did at his own and so he knew where he would find everything he needed to make macaroni and cheese, something that Hermione had become fond of.

As focused on making dinner, he could hear Hermione on the floor above, shushing Teddy and singing to him softly and he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. It felt right being stood in the kitchen making dinner for Hermione whilst she tended to Teddy, it felt normal. It was peaceful, he felt happy.

Just as he’d finished dishing out the food onto plates Hermione stepped into the kitchen, running her hands through her hair and halting to a stop at the sight of him stood by the counter. 

“I made dinner,” he grinned.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said softly.

“I know, but I thought we could salvage our date. Besides, I haven’t cooked for you yet, so... Macaroni and cheese.”

“You are my new favourite person in the world,” she sighed appreciatively. 

“Glad to be of assistance,” he grinned happily, standing taller. 

“We can eat in the family room and see if we can find an awful programme to watch.”

“Perfect,” he agreed.

They took their plates and walked to the family room, Hermione reaching for the TV remote and turning on the TV before she took a seat on the couch, folding her legs beneath her and setting her plate on her lap. Sam perched beside her, his feet spread evenly apart and planted on the floor, his plate held in one hand as he ate with the other.

Sometime later found their food eaten, plates returned to the kitchen and Hermione cuddled into Sam’s side as they watched a random TV programme.

“This show is awful,” Hermione commented.

Sam snorted. “You don’t enjoy women having catfights, bitching about each other and being so exceedingly rich that they have to boast about it?”

“Certainly not, I had enough of that at school,” she replied, his eyebrow arching in question but she didn’t elaborate further.

She closed her eyes and sighed tiredly and they fluttered open, Sam was staring down at her with soft, happy eyes and in that moment she couldn’t help herself; like a moth to a flame she was drawn to him.

She pushed herself up and away from the couch cushions behind her, his gaze never leaving hers as she inched closer and tilted her head until there was barely any space between them and then their mouths touched.

Her whole body set on fire, her magic hummed, her fingertips felt charged with electricity, her insides twisted and tingled. She had never felt something so potent before. It was almost as if he was feeding her magic, making her more powerful, making her lose control.

She loved Fred, Merlin knew she loved Fred with all her heart, but in that moment and with that one single touch of his lips, not only did she truly feel alive for the first time in as long as she could remember, her magic felt alive.

She drew back from him, her expression thoughtful but happy and his mouth tugged into a smile. She couldn’t stop herself, not only did her magic need him, need his touch, but her soul did, too, her body, her heart. She needed him. She couldn’t live without him and that’s when she came to a realisation...She’d found her mate, something thought to be impossible.

Not allowing herself to think herself into a tizzy as she processed the development, and with suddenly feeling randier than she ever thought possible with the events of the next day looming upon her, her hands flew up to his face, pulling him down to kiss her again.

It was evident she’d surprised him but he recovered quickly, his wolf purring in his chest as his hands moved to cradle the back of her neck, his fingers twisting into her soft, wild hair and keeping her to him. Hermione, frustrated with not being close enough to him, promptly rose up onto her knees and swung a leg over him, shifting to straddle his lap and all without breaking their kiss. A groan of surprise rumbled from him and her hands released his face, one fisting his t-shirt between her fingers and the other cupping the back of his neck, fingers twisting into his hair and tugging.

He hummed in the back of his throat, his tongue darting out to trace her bottom lip, seeking entrance. Without thought or hesitation, she granted him access and parted her lips but if he thought she was going to back down, he was severely mistaken as her tongue immediately met with his, battling from dominance. When his fingers tightened in her hair and his nails scratched the back of her neck, her humming noise of approval was caught in his mouth as her own grip tightened in his hair, a wolf-like growl rumbling in his chest and sending a shiver down her spine.

His fingers untangled in her hair and slipped to grip at her hips a little too tightly and likely to leave marks but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. With her lungs beginning to burn with the need for oxygen, she drew back from him only to trail soft, teasing kisses over his cheek, beneath his jaw and down his neck until she moved north, nibbling at his jawline as his hands gripped her tighter.

“ _Hermione_ ,” his voice caressed her name, shiver racing down her spine. “If you don’t stop now, I’m not going to be able to control myself,” he panted, whether it was for air or as a way to control his breathing and remain focused, she wasn’t sure.

“So don’t,” she whispered against his ear, tugged on his earlobe with her teeth.

He hissed out a “shit” and she drew back from him, seeing that his dark eyes appeared almost black as she struggled to distinguish between the iris and pupil. And as she stared at him, the hitch in Sam’s breath was audible and her once chocolate brown colouring had changed to a strange amber, bright and terrifying but beautiful. Before he was able to comment on the oddity she’d latched back onto his mouth, her hips slowly rocking over him and a moan being caught in his mouth when she felt the press of hard length in jeans against her. 

“Seriously,” he mumbled between kisses, “If we don’t stop now...”

“I don’t want to stop,” she interrupted, moving her lips to his neck.

“I don’t want to take...”

“You’re not taking advantage of a woman willingly straddling _your_ lap,” she snorted. “Besides, I’d knock you on your arse before you ever had the chance to hurt me. You may be bigger and stronger than me, massively so, but I’m not someone to be trifled with and my smaller size only means I’m more agile than you.”

“I don’t doubt that,” he muttered, his head tilting slightly to give her better access and a groan leaving his mouth when she ground against him harder. “You’re su...”

“Shut up,” she mumbled, biting down on his neck enough to smart but not leave a mark. It was the last straw and what little control he had left, snapped.

His grip on her hips tightened as he promptly and unexpectedly stood from the couch, a little squeak of surprise sounding from her as folded her legs around his much too large form and her arms slotted around his neck to keep her from falling. Despite this, she didn’t turn her attention from his neck as he made his way through the house and up the stairs, carrying her as though she weighed nothing more than a pebble but to a man with enhanced strength, she didn’t.

She heard him fumbling with the handle on her bedroom door before he found it and stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a kick of his foot and he crossed over to the large bed. Suddenly, she wasn’t wrapped around him anymore as she was flying through the air until she landed on her bed, bouncing slightly and unable to stop her laugh, only he wasn’t laughing. Sam stood by the foot of the bed, his gaze heated and intense and her laughter halted, her gaze locking with his. Like the wolf he was, he stalked closer until he pounced, pushing her onto her back and catching himself on his hands either side of her.

Sensing that he was going to comment on the strange amber of her eyes, she intervened by lifting her head and pressing her mouth to his, asking for permission with a swipe of her tongue against his lip and he granted her it, fighting for dominance as he lowered himself onto his elbows above her, being cradled in her thighs as she wrapped her legs around him.

Her hands burrowed under his t-shirt, her fingers trailing softly over the expanse of hot, russet skin and thick muscle of his back and shoulders. Burying her nails into his skin, she raked them down his back, his body arching into hers as a wolf-like growl rumbled in his chest and a whimper falling past her lips at the friction it offered. Losing patience, she gripped the hem of his t-shirt and drew it up his body, pulling it over his head and throwing it across the room, not caring where it landed. With the offending garment removed, her hands trailed from his back and around to his chest and down his abdomen, tracing every muscle, ridge, line and patch of skin she could. As her nails teasingly raked down his stomach, a growl rumbled in his throat and his hips pushed against her, a moan being torn from her. He dragged his mouth from hers, moving to assault her neck with teasing nips and kisses, sucking anywhere and everywhere, determined to mark her as his.

“I love your skin,” he muttered. “So soft, so perfect.”

“It’s not perfect,” she breathed heavily. “I have scars covering my back and abdomen.”

“What from?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes,”

“I’m not ready to tell you, but I will, soon.”

“Promise?”

“Pinkie promise, ankle swear, slap swear, secret handshake swear, blood oath, I’ll do it all, just don’t stop,” she begged.

He chuckled lowly.“I won’t ask, besides, it can’t be that bad.”

“It is,” she muttered.

His hands moved to the hem of her t-shirt and he pulled it up over her body, Hermione lifting her arms and torso so it could be removed easily and he threw it across the room. He moved down her body, pressing kisses along the waistband of her jeans and she wriggled beneath him, his lips and tongue circling her bellybutton before dipping inside and she giggled, pulling a chuckle from him but it quickly faded when he caught sight of the thick scar on her stomach, and he pushed himself up onto his hands for a better vantage point. 

He’d never seen a scar like it; it had to be three inches thick at least and an odd purple-hued colour. It started below her right shoulder and travelled diagonally across her torso, snaking between the valley of her breasts and beneath the left one before ending at her left hip, it almost seeming to cut her in half. Due to the healing and scarring, he’d estimate it to be a few years old, but he noted a small gathering of scarred cuts between her bellybutton and right hip and a burn scar on her shoulder, both looking no older than a couple of years.

He glowered at them, feeling the anger rising in him, his wolf being furious and fighting to break free so he could find and kill the bastards that had dared to harm his imprint. He was on the verge of phasing, he could feel it, a feral growl preparing to be released and his body shaking but Hermione distracted him, her voice quiet and sad.

“You think I’m ugly, don’t you?”

Gone was the confident young woman he loved so dearly, she was replaced by a frightened and vulnerable child. Something he never wanted to see again.

“No, I don’t,” he replied, allowing his tone to speak the truth and lifting his eyes to her so she might see it for herself. “I think you’re the most beautiful being I’ve ever laid eyes on. These scars add to your beauty. I’m sure there’s a story behind them and I’m sure that no matter what happened, you were brave. They’re not ugly ‘cause they’re a part of you and everything about you is beautiful.” She barely blinked. “Do you other scars? Where?” He asked after she’d nodded in confirmation.

“My back,” she muttered.

He drew back from her entirely, allowing her space. “Show me.”

Her eyes held his before she slowly turned over onto her stomach, showing her back and he pushed her long, thick ringlets over her shoulder, revealing her pale skin being littered with faded crosses. Unlike the other scars they weren’t raised and it almost looked as though the skin had been knitted back together. He’d estimate it was around the same age of her other scars and he reached out, his calloused fingers tracing the markings until a shiver raced down her spine. 

“Hermione, you’re beautiful and I’m going to do everything I can to prove it to you,” he vowed, gently tugging her until she rolled onto her back and she stared up at him, only he wasn’t looking at her, he was focused on the red lace bra she wore. A groan rumbled in his throat. “My favourite colour,” he muttered, the heat and intensity returning to his eyes.

“It’s mine, too, I’m a Gryffindor, red and gold are forever engraved in my genetic makeup,” she shrugged and he snorted at her.

He went back to leaning over her on his elbows, cradled in her legs.

“You really are beautiful,” he promised, moving to once more hover above her on his elbows as her body cradled his.

“It’s difficult to not believe you when you’re looking at me like that,” she whispered, unable to take her from him.

“Oh, Hermione,” he breathed out, his nose moving to nuzzle at her neck. “The way I’m looking at you is _nothing_ compared to what I’m going to make you feel.”

“Full of yourself, aren’t you?” Her mouth twitching into a smirk as her confidence slowly returned. “Are you all talk though?” She teased.

A growl rumbled in his chest and a look of challenged flashed through his eyes before his mouth was suddenly on hers, scars and uncertainty forgotten. Her hands traced his abdomen as his hands traced her stomach and sides, coming up to cup her breasts and kneading them softly over the lace fabric. As her hands moved to trace the dark hair that started at his naval and disappeared beneath his jeans, his moved lower, too. Her fingers deftly worked on his button and zipper and he mimicked her movements drawing back from her to tug jeans down her legs and over her feet, throwing them behind him before removing his own jeans, being grateful they’d both removed their socks and shoes earlier in the evening.

As they were both left in only their underwear, Hermione could barely take her eyes from the impressive bulge in the dark and tight-fitting boxer briefs, and he seemed to be having the same problem as he stared at her red lace underwear.

“Matching?” His eyebrow arched. “Did you plan for this?”

“Believe it or not, no, I didn’t. I always wear matching sets, it’s a habit that I can’t break and lace is actually really comfy. When you wear jeans and t-shirts for work, it feels good to know that you’ve got a nice set of underwear on underneath.”

Not saying anything further on the matter, he lowered his mouth to hers, Hermione wrapping her legs around his large form and her hands trailing everything she could reach. His own hands skimmed her stomach before moving up her sides and then dipping under her, arching her back off the bed so he could remove her bra, which found a place on the floor along with the rest of their clothing.

Her little whimper ring in his ears when his head dropped and he took a nipple in his mouth, one of his hands moving down her body, trailing over her stomach and then down her thigh before brushing over the lace of her underwear, teasing her. When it became too much and her patience wore thin, Hermione soon snapped, cursing and threatening him until he chuckled and gave in to her pleas, into his own desires of making her feel like the most loved woman in the world. He slowly pulled the lace down her legs and her scent hit his nose, he breathed in deeply and let out a rumbling growl, pouncing on her. Whilst he’d been able to catch her scent before, with the removal of her final item of clothing, its potency had his head going dizzy, his mouth watering and his body tensing in anticipation.

His mouth attacked her neck, leaving bruises and nips in his wake and his hand moved to the apex of her thighs, his fingers brushing over her and she gasped, her hands moving to grip his biceps as tightly as she could. Being otherwise distracted, he barely noted that her grip was tighter than what a regular human was capable of. His fingers slipped through her folds, gathering the wetness before his thumb brushed over her nub and she gave a breathless moan, her body jerking upwards and the sound ringing in his ears. He needed to hear it again.

His thumb paid attention to her nub before he teased her entrance and only after she _begged_ him, did he slip a finger into her. Her back arched off the mattress, her chest pushing into his and she let out a gasping cry, her hold on his biceps tightening and then loosening.

He gritted his teeth tightly, took a calming breath and fisted his free hand by her head; she was far tighter than he’d been expecting her to be and he could only guess how long it had been since she was last intimate with a person. From what she’d learned, it won’t have been her friend giving how adamant she’d been about a lack of chemistry or the ability to physically touch without feeling awkward and uncomfortable and that meant it had been her fiancé, at least two years ago, likely more if she’d been away from him for as long as she’d said. If she felt so tight when only gripping one of his fingers, he could only imagine what it would be like when they progressed further in their relationship. It might just kill them both.

Wishing to be careful and not hurt her given he was certain he could fit his entire hand over her face, an indication of how big he actually was, he was slow in his movements of sliding his finger back and forth, preparing her before adding a second finger, a breathless moan falling from her mouth, her head tipping back, her nails biting into his biceps and her hips rocking against his hand. He leaned as close as he could without physically crushing her into the mattress, his dark eyes locking on her bright amber; the lit the room like a cat’s in the dark.

He breathed heavily, trying to remain calm and focused but the feel of her body against his, her scent and arousal invading his nose, the sight she made, the noises that broke free, it was all affecting him more than he ever thought possible.

He removed her right hand from his arm and laced their fingers together, pinning it above her as he body stretched out and her back arched off the bed, pushing her body into his. His lowered his head, kissing and nipping at her throat, neck and jaw before taking a nipple in his mouth, sucking and nibbling gently.

It was all too much; his hot skin pressed against hers, his powerful body surrounding her, his mouth and tongue working wonders on her sensitive body, the rumbled groans and mutters filling her ears. It was sensory overload for Hermione and he felt her walls fluttering around his fingers before she flung her head back against the pillow, her hair surrounding her in a wild halo and her pale skin flushed a lovely shade of pink. He luckily, had the sense to remember that Teddy was in the room next door and crashed his mouth to hers, catching her cries in his mouth as waves of pleasure ploughed through her.

Tiredly, she slumped into the mattress and breathed heavily as he drew his hand back, settling it beside her head as they gazed at one another silently. Unexpectedly and with a strength he didn’t even know she was capable of, she rolled him onto his back and was quick to straddle his stomach, her fingers entwined with his and both of his hands pinned on either side of his head.

Her eyes were brighter, if that was possible, so bright they were almost blinding and she slowly, teasingly lowered her head until her mouth hovered above his, so close they would touch if she spoke. As he squeezed her hands in a plea that she stop teasing, her mouth twitched into a smirk before she obliged, her lips brushing his as the cries of a child rung through the house.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Wednesday 14th December 2005**

Hermione rose into a sitting position and Sam stared up at her, a disappointed frown marring his features and she laughed lightly.

“Don’t move,” she whispered into his ear before sucking his earlobe into her mouth and blowing cold air over it, he groaned and squeezed her hands tightly.

As she drew back and climbed off him, he noted the return of the chocolate brown of her eyes and though he wished to comment on the strange change, she’d already thrown on some clothing and left out the room, Sam’s heated gaze watching her retreating back. It was his t-shirt. She was wearing _his_ t-shirt, the too-large garment swamping her tiny frame, falling almost to her knees, the sleeves to her elbows and the neckline hanging over one pale, scarred shoulder.

The sight of her in his clothing sent a possessive, pleased thrill through him, his wolf purring happily in his chest. And she _smelled_ like him. She was covered not only with his clothing but with his scent, it was calming and possessive and primal.

Sighing and folding his arms behind his head as he lay on Hermione’s bed in only his underwear as he stared up the ceiling, a smile tugged at his mouth. Hermione’s soft mutters and singing as she calmed a crying child drifted from the room next door and to his ears. It felt right. Lying in Hermione’s bed almost naked after bringing her to orgasm only to be interrupted by a crying child, it felt right. It was something he could imagine would happen often until Teddy grew old enough to sleep through the night, not taking into account illness and injury. He wanted that. He _needed_ it.

As he chuckled to himself, Teddy’s cries quietened and Hermione’s soft comforts soon stopped before she returned, closing the door behind her and leaning back against the dark wood, her gaze heated and her teeth biting into her lip as she watched his large frame lounge on her bed atop the covers without a care in the world.

“You’re staring,” his deep voice rumbled.

“I know,” she replied, her voice taking a husky tone that his stomach knotting and his body tensing so he didn’t simply pounce on her and have her against the door. Her eyes snapped to his, showing the slow change from chocolate brown to amber. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” he replied without hesitation.

Her mouth twitched into a smirk. “Let’s play a game.”

“A game?” He cocked an eyebrow, rising up and supporting himself on his elbows.

“A game,” she confirmed with a single nod before she stalked towards him, climbing onto the bed and over him, pushing him back down onto his back with her hands on his chest and holding him in place. “You see, you were _very_ attentive,” she muttered and he gave a cocky smirk that Paul would be proud of. “So, I think it’s only fair that I reciprocate, after all, I do believe in equality.” She pressed light, barely a kiss-kiss to his mouth before moving towards his ear. “I’m going to touch you everywhere, except, the place you want me to touch you the most,” she purred like a cat, a rumble in his chest sounding in response.

She rose into a sitting position before removing her-his t-shirt, only before he could commit the sight of her straddling him naked to memory, she slipped the t-shirt over his head but only enough to cover his eyes.

“But, you’re not allowed to watch, only feel,” she spoke, knowing that his already sensitive hearing would be at an all-time high after losing one of his senses. “You remove the t-shirt and I’ll stop. Do you want to play?” She asked softly, her fingers gently trailed his cheek and he moved his face into her touch. He could feel her pressed against his stomach, her hot arousal practically dripping onto his skin.

He growled in response and she laughed lightly, her fingertips trailing his face with soft kisses and nips soon following. Her exploration moved lower, down his neck, jaw and throat, her nails raking down his chest and his body thrusting forward, his hands gripping at her hips as his chest rumbled. She soothed the sting with a swipe of her tongue and her mouth unexpectedly closed around his nipple for a small teasing moment before she removed his hands from her hips and moved her exploration lower to his abdomen. 

She was sure to draw out every kiss, nip and lick against his skin and until his patience and control was pushed to the very limit and she nibbled above the waistband of his underwear, his pleading groan filling her ears. Her fingers slipped beneath the waistband before dragging them slowly down his body, Sam shifting his hips in order to help with the removal. Once she’d disposed of them, her fingers traced his muscled legs, teasing and tickling his skin. She could see the rise and fall of his chest, the tight bunching of his muscles and felt feminine pride fill her. Drawing her eyes away from him and lowering her gaze, a gasp of surprise almost sounded when she saw his erection standing proudly for her view.

Fred had been a very impressive wizard and he’d known exactly how to use what God had given him, it was one of the reasons he was popular in school before they’d started dating and the rumours had been true, something she’d been partially mortified by. But Sam had surprised her more than Fred had. It seemed his _entire_ body was in proportion. She was actually a little worried that it would be painful and awkward when it did come to them furthering their relationship. The sight of him was terrifying, but exciting.

Shaking off her thoughts, she continued with her light and teasing touches but never once touching him where he wanted her to. As the minutes ticked by, she knew he was on the brink; he was frustrated, the growls and rumbles in his chest were more frequent and louder and his fisted hands and tightly wound body was all the proof she needed.

“Remove it,” she ordered.

Lightning fast he ripped the t-shirt from his face and threw it across the room, his dark gaze finding her instantly, seeing her staring at his erection hungrily. Her hand softly massaged his thighs and her amber eyes flickered up to his and then back onto his erection, her mouth parted and her tongue darted out to wet her lips as she released a little puff of air.

That was all it took and they both knew it. She was quick to straddle him and press her mouth to his, muffling the sounds of his loud growls. His hands gripped her tightly and she knew she’d have bruises in the morning. When his grip loosened and his growls quietened, she drew back, staring down at him with chocolate brown eyes, not amber.

Sam gazed up at her, taking note of the sparkle in her eyes, the wildness of her hair surrounding her like a halo, the pinkness of her cheeks, the smile on her lips and the proud, pleased expression that flittered across her face.

He couldn’t remember a time when he’d been so unfocused, so out of control. She’d taunted and teased him for what felt like hours, touching him everywhere but the place he’d wanted her touch. She’d wound him so tightly that she’d given him relief with a simple look and parting of her mouth. Hell, the last time something even remotely similar had happened he’d been a young, inexperienced teen discovering the phenomenon that was women and sex.

Ducking her head shyly, she lowered herself until she was sprawled across his chest, burrowing her arms under and around his shoulders, her cheek pressing against his chest and hearing the slowing beat of his heart, giggling at his awe-struck expression and his arms folded around her, keeping her close to him.

“ _Shit_!” he muttered in disbelief and she laughed lightly, lifting her head just enough to press a kiss to his mouth before snuggling back against him, falling silent and allowing him the chance to calm his breathing. “Tell me,” he muttered, breaking the silence a while later and just as Hermione had been dozing off. 

“Tell you what?” She asked tiredly.

“About him,” he replied.

She didn’t need further clarification, she already knew.

She sighed. “You want to talk about the man that I loved and that died, whilst we’re currently naked _and_ after what we’ve just done? Don’t you think that’s a conversation better had when we’re fully clothed.”

He snorted before pressing a kiss to her head. “I suppose, if it makes you uncomfortable or if you don’t want to talk about him, I’ll understand. But I want to know about him. I know that you loved him and if he was deserving of your love, then he must’ve been a great guy,” he answered, feeling her smile against his chest.

She shifted to get more comfortable, folding her hands together, laying them on his chest and then propping her chin atop them as she stared up at him whilst he shifted the pillow beneath his head to better prop it up so he could look down at her.

“Alright then, but I remind you this was _your_ idea. Fredrick Gideon Weasley was born the 1st of April 1985 and ten minutes before his twin, George Fabian Weasley, and he _never_ let him forget it. It was only fitting they were born on April Fool’s Day, given their talent for mischief. From birth he and his twin were inseparable; they did everything together, went everywhere together, if one got in trouble, the other did too so they could suffer together. They were devious, mischievous masterminds, even from a young age and that only grew as they aged. They were legends around school, still are, even after the years that have passed. If it wasn’t for Ronald, Fred and I likely would’ve never gotten to know each other aside from the fact that we were both Gryffindors. I spent every holiday with the Weasley family but we didn’t interact with each other much at school given our age difference and that we ran in different social circles. It wasn’t until my fifth year that we truly noticed each other. We had this God awful professor in the school, hideous she was, even the other professors hated her but the government were trying to interfere with the school and that’s why she couldn’t be fired as she were there under their placement. We didn’t agree with her teaching methods so we created this unauthorised study group, I know it sounds boring but it wasn’t, I promise,” she blew a curl out of her face and he chuckled at her.

“I was helping Fred develop his pronunciation of Latin words and that’s when everything changed. He’d smile at me in the hallways, he’d stand up for me when he saw that I was backed into a corner by bullies, he’d make me laugh when he saw that I was upset. He was there for me when I needed someone. And when he asked me out on a date, I was surprised, to say the least.”

“Why?” His brow furrowed.

“Well, the twins are very handsome, always had been. I felt I wasn’t good enough for him. He was handsome, popular, well-liked, adored, idolised. And he was quite the ladies man, he wasn’t known for having long term relationships, kind of like Paul. Then there was me, I was bossy and stubborn, a bookworm, a scholar, I spent most of my time in the library because it was my escape. I was known around the school for being smart and a know-it-all, for being friends with Harry and Ron. But he asked me out and when I saw his hopeful expression, I couldn’t turn him down and I took a risk. As it turns out, it was one of the best risks I’ve ever taken. I had thought that he’d snog me and leave, moving on to someone else like he did with the others, but he didn’t. He stayed. He helped me a great deal. I once heard some call me ‘the Ugly Duckling’ and other mean things and it always hurt my feelings. You should’ve seen me my first year, my hair was frightening, a bird could’ve nested in it!” She deliberately darted her upwards to her wild hair and then back to him in exasperation and he chuckled.

“Don’t even get me started on my teeth, my freckles, my ears,” she rolled her eyes. “But, Fred, he built up my confidence, he made me feel proud of who I was and what I’d accomplished. He helped me learn to appreciate my personality traits and my body, to not care what others thought of me. He was such a romantic which I hadn’t expected giving his vast number of dalliances. As much as I hated it, he used to send little gifts and love letters to me at school, confessing his love for me. To me, Fred was my life, my whole world. He helped me in ways I will forever be grateful for. I’m more confident in myself because of him, I’ve got a new appreciation for laughter and pranks, one that I couldn’t understand the need for before he showed it to me. I’m more cautious of people, I used to be too trusting, too naive and I got hurt. Thanks to him, I’m a better person, a better me.”

He brought his hand up, brushing her hair back from her face and tucking the wild strands behind her ear, Hermione leaning into his touch when he skimmed her cheek, her eyes fluttering closed.

“When he died, my whole world came crashing down. What was I going to do without him? How was I going to live without him? We were going to get married, spend our lives together, have children together, a family. I was going to be Mrs. Fred Weasley.”

“It sounds like you love him,” he frowned.

Silently, she removed one hand from beneath her chin and brought it up, smoothing out the wrinkle with gentle fingers. Only when his expression softened did she slot her hand back under her chin.

“I do, I do still love him,” she admitted, keeping her eyes locked with his. “And I will always love him but that part of my life is in the past. I am learning to look to the future. I find that when I think about him, I don’t feel sadness and I don’t cry. I find that when I look at George, I don’t see Fred, which used to be one of the most painful things after his death. I find that I can talk about him to other people now, and I can remember everything he did for me. I promised myself I would live my life to the fullest because that’s what he would’ve wanted. That’s why I have chosen you, Sam. You are kind and understanding. You are an incredible person, truly incredible.”

~000~000~000~

**Thursday 15th December 2005**

Sam woke surrounded by the best scent that had ever assaulted him, the scent of his imprint. It clung in the air, to the bedsheets, to him and he breathed it in deeply, a hum sounding in her throat.

Opening his eyes, he blinked away the sleep and allowed his eyes a moment to adjust before they landed immediately on Hermione. She was sleeping, laying on her side and facing away from him, her head pillowed on his arm and her hand held his in her sleep. Sam lay behind her, his chest pressed to her back with his other arm thrown over her waist, Hermione’s other hand having twined their fingers together as she held them against her chest, cushioned in-between her breasts. Her head lay tucked under his chin and he could smell the strawberry and vanilla scent of her hair.

Being reminded of the happenings of the night before, he shifted his lower half away from her, his morning erection no longer threatening to wake her. He remembered their explorations of each other’s bodies and then their talk. He’d listened to her talk about Fred and she’d listened to him talk about Leah and now everything was out in the open. Well, _almost_ everything.

He was confused about what had happened to her eyes; they’d changed colour and not in the regular way of darkening or lightening, it was terrifying but not at the same time. He’d noticed that every time he’d tried to bring it up in topic, she’d distracted him and what a distraction it was.

He felt Hermione shift against him and he listened to the change in her breathing, no longer even and deep. She was awake. He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“Morning, Beautiful,” he whispered.

“Go away!” She griped, burying herself under the covers. His brow furrowed in confusion; had he upset her in some way?

“Hermione, are you alright?”

“No, now bugger off and leave me alone,” she let out another growl and his eyes widened.

He’d heard that growl before, once the previous month when he, Paul and Jared took Teddy to the local diner for lunch because Hermione had been in a _terrifying_ mood. Doing the math, he recently it was exactly one month prior.

“Err, do you have cramps?” He asked quietly wincing at her reply.

“No!” Her growl was feral. “Why do men always assume that if a woman’s not in the best of moods, it’s cramps? Not everything is PMS related, Samuel!”

She was terrifying.

Clearing his throat, he said, “Okay, I’ll go and make you a cup of tea.”

“You do that.” He had to stop himself from laughing at her childish reply and instead he kissed the top of her head and she rolled away from him. Biting the inside of his cheek, he climbed out of bed and found his underwear, pulling them on along with his jeans but he left his t-shirt for her since he’d loved seeing her wear it.

Leaving the room, he headed down the stairs and made a start on breakfast, barely twenty minutes passing before the door burst open.

“Honey, I’m home,” Paul called, halting in his steps and frowning when he saw Sam with a knife in hand, buttering the toast. Sam, not Hermione.

“Where’s Hermione?” Jared asked, walking past Paul and into the kitchen.

“In bed,” Sam shrugged.

A smirk over took Paul’s face and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Wore her out, did you?”

“We didn’t have sex, and even if we did, it’s none of your business,” Sam shot Paul a glare. “Hermione’s still in bed ’cause she growled at me.”

“Growled at you?” He repeated amused.

“Yes, like that day we took Teddy to the diner for lunch.” A look of realisation dawned on both of their faces and it was quickly replaced by fear. “Exactly, don’t wind her up; we all saw what she was like last time.”

Ten minutes later, Sam collected Teddy from his room and brought him down for breakfast and a few minutes after Hermione appeared, stepping into the kitchen with messy hair, a glare on her face and wearing Sam’s t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts, not that they could see given how large the garment was on her.

“Morning, Hermione,” Paul greeted, wriggling his eyebrows before looking to Sam with a wink, seeing that she was wearing Sam’s t-shirt.

“Shut up,” she mumbled.

“Are you feeling alright?” Jared questioned in concern, seeing her wince and covering her ears. 

“Stop shouting,” she groaned.

They all frowned. “I didn’t shout,” he replied.

“Yes, you did; my eardrums feel like I’ve been stood next to an amplifier. And someone close the blinds, it’s too bright in here.”

She shut her eyes tightly and they looked at her strangely but before they could speak, she’d already picked up her tea and walked out of the room.

“That was strange,” Paul mused.

“Very strange,” Jared agreed. “What’s wrong?” He asked, seeing the thoughtful expression on Sam’s face.

“Nothing, it’s just last night... Something weird happened.”

“Oh? I could’ve sworn I saw a few _marks_ on her neck,” Paul smirked until Sam glared at him.

“We didn’t have sex,” he snapped.

“She smells like you, and you smell like her,” he said smugly.

“We slept in her bed, now drop it,” he growled, Paul’s eyes darting elsewhere.

“What happened?” Jared asked, diffusing the situation.

“Her eyes changed colour.”

“They changed colour?” Jared echoed slowly.

“Yes, to bright amber, they practically glowed in the dark.”

“What caused it?”

“I don’t know; she’s hiding something.”

“She’ll tell us when she’s ready,” Jared shrugged.

~000~000~000~

Later that night Hermione said her goodbyes to Harry, leaving Teddy in his care and she and Severus apparated to the same patch of woods as the previous month. They both erected their go-to wardings before she handed her wand to Severus and he took his leave after she stepped into the five mile perimeter. 

She walked further into the woods and when she was happy with the clearing of trees surrounding her, she removed a bag from her pocket, resized it and hung it on a branch, it containing a selection of healing potions, a blanket and a set of black robes, everything she needed for the next morning.

She was slow with the removing of her jumper, jeans, socks and shoes, wandlessly banishing them back to the house to prevent them from accidentally getting destroyed, leaving her in only a pair of dark sleep shorts and the matching spaghetti strap top.

She took a seat on the cold, damp ground and stared up at the sky, waiting for it to begin and it wasn’t a long wait; she could feel the pull of the moon and she could no longer sit still and resorted to pacing back and forth, feeling her magic rushing through her blood, it racing through her body, her muscles aching.

She looked up at the sky just as the clouds shifted and the full moon came into view.

In a practised moved, she took as many calming breaths as possible before the magic took over and she dropped to the ground as an ear-piercing scream fell from her lips. She screamed as claws grew from her fingertips and they dug into the dirt beneath her. She screamed as the bones in her arms and legs snapped and shifted, elongating. She screamed as her back bowed and her ribcage snapped and reformed, her internal organs shifting inside of her before she could longer hold herself up and she fell face-first into the dirt, desperately gasping for air, desperate for the pain to end.

The curse slowed and for a small moment there was no pain until claws started growing from her toes and another scream ripped from her throat.

Tears ran down her face freely, unable to stop them from falling and when she heard loud ‘thud’s against the floor, the ground seeming to shake with each one, she forced herself up and onto her shaking arms, a scream being torn from her when her spine snapped and folded into place.

Through bleary vision, three _very_ large wolves bounded into the clearing, skidding to a stop before her, their eyes wide and their mouths parted and panting. One was a dark silver, the moonlight reflecting off his fur. Another was a chocolate brown with a grey mask around his eyes, strange but beautiful. And the other was jet black like the night sky.

She knew who they were. Paul, Jared and Sam. 

The wards prevented muggles, not other animals and therefore not shape-shifters, they could bypass the magical barriers.

She had to protect them. She had to protect them from her.

“LEAVE NOW!”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Thursday 15th December 2005**

_'Follow it,'_ Sam ordered, a blood-curling scream piercing the otherwise silence of the woods.

Whilst he, Paul and Jared were patrolling the borderlines of La Push, everything appeared to be normal and without a single trace of a vampire, but that silence was soon interrupted.

_'On it.'_

_'Right behind you.'_

They ran through the woods, darting around trees and leaping over felled trees and ditches, heading towards the screams which tapered off before filling the night once more.

 _'What is it? It's human.'_ Jared asked.

 _'It can't be a leech, there's no trail.'_ Paul injected.

' _I don't care what it is, just get there now!'_ Sam growled, putting on a burst of speed they struggled to keep up with. _'Jared, what can you see?'_

Everything on the mind link was quiet for a few moments as they hung a left and followed it with another a mile later, Sam and Paul remaining silent and allowing Jared a moment to better focus his vision.

 _'Hermione!'_ he thought alarmed.

They all felt panic rush through them, but Sam more so and he pulled ahead of them, his lungs straining for oxygen and his head going a little fuzzy but he didn't stop and he didn't slow down, not until they came upon a clearing and leapt over a collection of fallen trees, landing with their paws skidding across the dirt until they stopped.

Sam briefly noted that he recognised his surroundings, it was the same area he'd met Hermione the month prior. And there she was. On the floor, tears flowing down her face as she screamed. She was on her hands and knees, her arms shaking and finding it difficult to hold up her weight. They could see the strange way her bones were reshaping themselves, the claws that had grown out of her fingertips and the way she was trying to force herself to breathe.

Without warning, she looked up at them through her tear-filled _amber_ eyes and they widened, fear and horror mixing with the pain.

"LEAVE NOW!" She yelled and they flinched back as it came out more like a growl, one suspiciously like Sam's. A scream ripped from her and her back bowed, her clawed fingers digging into the dirt beneath her.

 _'What's happening to her?'_ Jared thought worriedly and they all hesitantly inched closer to her.

"NO, STOP, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE, I COULD _KILL_ YOU!" She screamed desperately. "I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE!"

Stupidly, they ignored her and continued their slow approach. The transformation was almost complete, she could feel it as fur started growing, ripping through the very pores of her skin, it being the most painful part of the process.

 _'Is that fur?'_ Paul spoke in a panicked whispered.

"PLEASE LEAVE!" She sobbed before another scream ripped through her and she collapsed, falling onto her back, her back arching as she felt her spine snap and reform to accommodate the growth of tail.

_'Is that a fucking tail?!'_

As she cried and screamed and they had no idea how to help her, their attention briefly darted to Sam and his audible whimpers, horror filling him at the sight of his imprint being in such agony and there was nothing he could do to stop it, he didn't even know _what_ was happing.

She slumped against the floor, gasping for air and her head weakly turning to the side, her glowing amber eyes falling to Sam's horrified dark eyes. It was too late, they weren't leaving her and she knew it, they were going to discover her secret.

"You can't let me bite or scratch you," she whispered, her throat hoarse from all the screaming. "Do what you have to do, _kill_ me if you have to." Tears fell from her eyes, down her cheeks and mixed with the dirt beneath her. "Just don't let me hurt any of you, you have to assert your dominance over me, it might just work, as the Alpha it has to be you..."

Her speech trailed off when her body arched off the ground, her hands clenched into tight fists and she gave one final and long drawn out scream, it piercing the air and ringing in their ears.

They observed her jaw breaking and elongating, shifting into place and turning into a snout, her ears physically moving to the top of her head and becoming pointed and her clothes ripped from her body, leaving them shredded on the ground and before their eyes, Hermione was no more.

From the ground, the strange-looking wolf rose onto its hind legs, threw its head back and let out a loud howl to the moon.

 _'Is that...'_ Jared stared in shock.

 _'A werewolf, she's a fucking werewolf. That. Is. Awesome!'_ Paul thought with a surprised laugh.

The strange-looking wolf with mismatched spotted grey and mahogany brown fur visibly inhaled the scent of its surroundings and glowing amber eyes snapped to them without warning. The mythical being fell onto all fours and took a defensive stance, snarling and growling at the three large wolves threateningly.

 _'Okay, that's slightly terrifying,'_ Paul thought, all trace of humour gone from his tone. _'What do we do? We can't leave her like this.'_

 _'Sam?'_ Jared thought, though he was in shock and didn't answer. He hadn't moved an inch since they'd entered the clearing. _'Sam, she looks ready to_ kill _us!'_ He insisted. Receiving no response, he didn't dare move lest he spooked werewolf-Hermione so he made do with nudging Sam with his shoulder the best he could and he eyes finally snapped to him. _'You heard her; you have to assert your dominance over her.'_

 _'She's a werewolf,'_ he stated dumbly.

 _'We hadn't noticed,'_ Paul snorted and Sam growled at him. _'Sorry,'_ he thought with a cough. _'Jared's right, you have to dominate her, she's about to attack.'_

Sam's attention snapped to the werewolf to see that Paul was right; she was crouching low, ready to pounce.

But she was still his imprint, his _Hermione_. He couldn't hurt her.

Doing his best to calm his racing heart and thoughts, Sam slowly and cautiously took a step forward, faltering slightly when a snarl was sent his way. Gathering his courage and control, he continued forward and when there was less than ten feet between them, the werewolf sprang into the air without warning, aiming straight for his throat. With some effort, considering how much smaller and thinner the werewolf was than him, making her more agile, Sam had the werewolf pinned to the ground on her side, his front paws holding her in place. But she didn't back down, snarling and snapping, wriggling violently beneath him and he was unsure how but she'd managed to give herself enough room to bite his leg. Though she didn't break the skin and it wasn't all that painful either, if he were honest, he released a yelp before putting more force into keeping the werewolf steady.

Sam lowered his head and let out a low growl, one that had the werewolf freezing in place beneath him before baring her neck and Sam tilted his large head in confusion.

 _'You have to bite her as acceptance of her submission,'_ Jared told him.

 _'How d'you know?'_ Paul challenged.

 _'Wikipedia,'_ Jared grinned.

 _'Shut up,'_ Sam growled, his eyes narrowed on them before he bent down, opened his mouth and gently closed it around her neck, his teeth nipping at her skin.

He was cautious when he allowed her freedom of movement, taking several steps back as she rose onto all fours, visibly collecting herself before taking a deep breath and inhaling the scents around her.

The werewolf's eyes suddenly snapped to Sam and she darted towards him. Being taken by surprise after witnessing her otherwise calm behaviour prior, he wasn't prepared to defend himself but he didn't need to. Her smaller form ploughed into him with enough force that he stumbled in his steps but was able to right his footing and she landed beside him, nuzzling herself against him, running her nose over his side before she moved closer to the front of his body, nuzzling her nose and head into his neck.

 _'What's she doing?'_ Paul asked, his confusion and amusement evident in both his tone and the tip of his head.

 _'I'm not sure,'_ they could hear the frown in Jared's voice.

 _'What? Mr. Wikipedia doesn't know something?'_ Paul teased.

Jared lunged at Paul but with the aid of the mind link, he knew it was coming and swiftly darted out of the way. Jared landed on his feet, skidding across the dirt and he narrowed his eyes on Paul as they slowly circled each other and Sam watched on bored. It was normal for them to fight.

When the wolf beside him paused in nuzzling herself against him, he looked down to see her watching them with interest, her bright amber eyes gleaming with mischief. She prowled forward, her paws silent against the ground despite the leaves and foliage and with her body low and ears back, he had the feeling he was in for some entertainment and comfortably settled himself on the ground, propping his head on his paws.

Paul and Jared, being too preoccupied with fighting each other, didn't notice her coming up behind Paul until it was too late and she leapt forward, landing behind him and playfully nipped the tip of his tail, tugging it slightly. Paul let out a loud yelp of surprise and his massive form almost tripped as he spun to look behind him with his eyes wide, and Sam and Jared released barks of laughter.

 _'Why the fuck did she_ bite _me?'_ Paul thought with narrowed eyes.

 _'I think she wants to play,'_ Jared replied, tipping his head thoughtfully and cataloguing the slightly bowed back and slightly swishing tail.

They both looked to Sam for permission and the slightly larger wolf darted his gaze between them and his werewolf imprint.

_'Fine. Just be careful with her, she's not as strong or as fast as us, neither is anywhere similar to our weight or size. It's still Hermione and you know the laws regarding imprints.'_

Before Paul could even think to move out of the way, Hermione lunged at him with such a force and precision that it knocked him off his feet until he tumbled to the ground in a heap, Hermione staring down at him as she stood over him, pinning him to the ground.

 _'Are you sure on that speed and strength thing?'_ Jared laughed and Sam chuckled in reply.

The werewolf lowered her head and slowly sniffed at Paul's neck.

 _'What's she doing?'_ He questioned in panic.

 _'I think she's familiarising herself with your scent, she's likely never been around other wolves before, and by doing so, she knows not to perceive you as a threat,'_ Jared replied. _'And_ _now that I think about it, cats and dogs show affection by nuzzling their faces into someone or something, so maybe that's what she was doing. Showing affection,'_ he mused, his gaze darting to Sam thoughtfully.

Hermione drew their attention when she playfully nipped at Paul's nose and then backed away from him, her back bowed and her tail swishing high in the air, her mouth open wide and tongue lolling out of her mouth comically. With her attention on Paul, they hadn't expected her to do a sudden one-eighty and pounce on Jared, taking him down to the ground as she crashed into him. She easily pinned him beneath her but he didn't struggle and he bared his neck, allowing her to familiarise herself with his scent, knowing that she wouldn't hurt him.

 _'I think she broke something,'_ Paul groaned, pushing up onto all fours and shaking out his fur. _'She's far stronger than I'd thought she'd be. I don't like it,'_ he grumbled childishly.

Jared's teasing comments flittered through the mind link and a fight soon broke out between the two wolves, his imprint backing away and watching from the sidelines before she found an opening, leaping into the fray and nipping at Jared's tail before she used her smaller form to her advantage, scurrying _beneath_ both of them and darting off, the two large wolves giving chase.

Sam observed them silently, watching his werewolf imprint and his packmates playfully fight and chase one another, feeling peaceful and content and as the night wore on, he'd come to notice that she never travelled further than five miles, always backing away as if she'd been burnt or stung.

He couldn't believe that his imprint was a _werewolf_. He wasn't even certain how he should feel about it, let alone process the discovery. Werewolves weren't supposed to exist. They had a _lot_ to talk about.

~000~000~000~

It was a couple of hours later when Hermione was finally tired out and she made her way over to Sam, curling up in a ball by his side, snuggled into him for warmth and without thought, he turned his head and nuzzled his nose against hers, she licked his nose before settling down and falling asleep.

From the corner of his eye, Paul noticed a bag hanging from a tree branch and he padded over to it but despite his size, he struggled to remove it without hands so he phased back, reached up and easily slipped it off the branch.

Hermione suddenly snapped her eyes open and she gave a terrifying snarl before she stood on all fours and stalked towards him. His breathing stopped all together out of instinct and he kept his gaze on her, watching her as she grew closer but within moments Sam and Jared were by his side, ready to intervene the best they could without hurting her. Paul would heal whatever the damage but if Hermione was hurt, Sam would be, too.

She paused before him, visibly sniffing at the air before her cold snout reached forward and touched Paul's hand. He flinched at the contact but otherwise didn't move, doing his best to tense his muscles in order to remain still but they didn't expect her to simply nuzzle at his hand before turning and returning to her spot, curling in a ball and falling back asleep.

"That was a close one," Paul spoke quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping werewolf.

He dug around in her bag and the first thing he found was a blanket, which he pulled free, Sam taking it in his mouth and dragging it across the floor and over Hermione's sleeping form before laying down beside her. Paul searched through the remaining contents of the bag, showing several little bottles of differently coloured liquids and a set of black graduation robes.

"What the hell are these?" He whispered.

Both wolves shook their heads in confusion and he sighed before placing the contents back in the bag and phasing back to his wolf form, making himself comfortable on the ground.

~000~000~000~

**Friday 16th December 2005**

The three wolves were jolted awake by the agonised howls that filled the air and they were quick to rise to all fours, their eyes darting in search of the werewolf that was no longer curled up beside Sam.

Their eyes found her twenty feet across from them, holding tightly to the blanket as she screamed and cried, and they watched helplessly as she went through the change, from wolf to human now that the moon had set and daylight was upon them. She screamed for what felt like hours, their stomachs knotting and their hearts breaking, Sam's large form shaking beside them and whimpers and whines being drowned out by Hermione, watching his imprint suffer with no way of protecting her from the pain.

They watched as her fur disappeared leaving her ivory skin redraw, they heard her bones snapping and shifting back to where they should be, they could hear her internal organs moving back into place. Her jaw broke before it reshaped itself, her snout disappeared leaving her button nose and her ears returned to the side of her head and finally, her claws retracted. She was Hermione again and she was in a crumpled heap on the floor sobbing, gripping the blanket around her naked, shivering form.

Sam bolted forward, quickly followed by Jared and Paul and he laid down beside her, his soft, thick fur pressing against her and insulating her from the freezing December temperature. Hermione found the strength to sit up somewhat, her body leaning against Sam's for support and she wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing into his fur.

 _'Get the robe, she's freezing,'_ Sam ordered. Paul turned and ran to her bag, picking up the robe in his mouth and bringing it over to them. _'You'll have to do it.'_

Paul quickly shifted, not caring an inch about being naked in Hermione's presence, not that she noticed.

"You're going to have to help me, Hermione," he said softly. She slowly removed her arms from around Sam and shifted so that the blanket still covered her body in a way that Paul was able to put the robe on her, feeling guilty when he saw her wince in pain and her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. "We have to get you home before you freeze to death."

She weakly shook her head, burying her face against the jet black fur and folding her arms around the large wolf, feeling his warmth seep into her very bones.

"I can't leave," her voice was hoarse and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"We don't care that you're a werewolf, it's kind of awesome actually," his voice was soft but he grinned and she a sob-laugh.

"No, I literally _can't_ leave, it's impossible. Severus will be here to collect me any minute now. Can you get me my bag, please?" She said tiredly, her eyes drooping. "Quickly, before I fall unconscious," she muttered, feeling it take over.

She heard paws thudding against the ground before Paul said, "I've got it, now what?"

"Find the purple vial and pour it down my throat, follow that with the green one and then the pink one," she muttered before her eyes closed and didn't open.

"Hermione? Hermione?" Paul shook her shoulder gently but she didn't wake. "She's unconscious, should I do what she told me to?" He asked Sam, the large wolf nodding and so Paul tilted Hermione's head back and quickly did as she asked, being careful as to not accidentally choke or drown her.

Just as he'd finished, a loud 'crack' sounded and they all turned their heads towards the direction it came from.

 _'Jared?'_ Sam asked warily.

_'It's that man from Hermione's house, the one that was reading the paper, he's half a mile out, we'll have a bit of a wait.'_

_'Stay on guard, tell Paul to stay in human form for communication.'_

Jared quickly phased, reiterated Sam's instructions before phasing back to a wolf, sitting on Hermione's other side, caging her in-between him and Sam both for her protection and to offer her more warmth whilst Paul pulled on some jean shorts.

When the man arrived he simply arched an eyebrow, not appearing to be the slightest bit surprised to see them there.

"Well, the wolf's out after the full moon," he drawled before walking forward, halting in his steps when Sam growled at him in what was clearly a warning. "If you don't let me near her, I can't help her. She's in pain and she has a routine that she needs to follow. So, you can let me tend to her, or she can suffer and it'll be your fault."

He didn't wait for a response, not only because he was unable to receive one with words but the large jet black wolf had already made his decision before he'd finished speaking, and he knew it. Closing the distance, he crouched down before Hermione's unconscious form, seeing a pink tint to her usually pale skin but he was unsure if that were due to the redness from the transformation having yet to fade or if it were the thick fur of the two wolves surrounding her, keeping her warm and protecting her from the December temperatures.

"Who administered the potions?" He asked, spying the empty potion vials on the ground.

"I did," Paul answered, standing behind both wolves and looking down at Hermione and Severus. "She told me to before she passed out."

"Purple, green and then pink?"

"Yes, in that order," he nodded.

"Good," he muttered, looking relieved. "I need to get her home," He reached out to lift her into his arms but stopped when the jet black wolf released a growl. "Idiots," he muttered under his breath.

 _'Watch him.'_ Sam order Jared before slowly moving away from Hermione and going behind a gathering of trees, phasing back and pulling on a pair of jeans. He returned and crouched down, easily lifting Hermione into his arms and holding her protectively against his chest whilst Jared took the opportunity to dart behind the trees and phase back.

"You don't have the strength to carry her for half a mile," Sam glared.

"I don't need it, I can get her home far quicker than you; I assure you."

"No, you're not touching her."

"Very well, follow me." He turned on his heel, his robes billowing behind him as he strode forward.

"So, she's a werewolf?" Jared attempted conversation.

"Obviously," Severus drawled in reply.

"How long? How did she become a werewolf, I didn't think they existed."

"That is not my story to tell and I assure you, _shape-shifter_ , they exist."

"How did you know we're shape-shifters? She knew, too; she tried to warn us."

"Miss. Granger is an incredibly intelligent young woman. She has had her suspicions since her move, but she has only been certain of your status as shifters since the morning after the last full moon. Miss. Granger was aware of shape-shifters protecting your Tribe before she completed her move, just not it was you."

"How? No one knows about us?" Paul frowned.

"That is where you are incorrect. There is an entire community of people that know of shape-shifters, just not about you specifically. I won't answer any more of your questions, I suggest you call upon Billy Black, he will have answers. Given the events, I am certain Miss. Granger will wish to be the one to tell you our secrets, however, she won't be well enough to do so until tomorrow."

~000~000~000~

The four men silently stepped into Hermione's house, Severus first and Sam last, Hermione's sleeping form cradled against him gently.

"What happened?" Harry asked quickly, seeing their arrival and rushing forward to greet them.

"They know," Severus answered.

"They know about magic?!" Harry panicked.

"Magic!" The three men spluttered.

Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, Potter, they know about her lycanthropy, you imbecile."

"Ah, oops," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck and offering a guilty smile.

" _Magic_?" Paul repeated.

"Merlin, Hermione's going to kill me," Harry muttered before giving his head a shake. "This is going to be a long day, put her to bed, will you?" He tipped his head to Sam and the large man left without word or hassle. "Okay, take a seat, it seems we have a discussion to be had."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 7

**Friday 16th December 2005**

"So, let me get this straight," Jared spoke, a confused expression marring his features. "You and that creepy guy over there, are wizards and Hermione's a witch. You all attended a hidden magic school to learn to control and improve your magical capabilities and that creepy guy over there... "

"Snape," Harry injected, amused by his description of his former educator.

"Right, him, he's a Professor at your old school and has been for sixteen years and he teaches Potions. There are four blood groups of witches and wizards, Pureblood, Half-bloods, which is you and the Snape, Muggleborns which Hermione is and then there's Squibs who have magical parents but don't have magic themselves," he scratched his head and Harry nodded, looking slightly impressed that he'd remember it so quickly.

"There was this bad guy that practised illegal and dark magic and like a magical version of Hitler, he wanted to eradicate all Muggleborns and take over the world, a world where only Purebloods existed, Half-bloods are enslaved and Muggleborns are murdered, along with Muggles which are humans without magic," Paul surmised and Harry tipped his head. "There was a war and when you were a baby you defeated this bad guy. When you started school, you, Hermione and your friend, Ron, all fought this bad guy for four years and stopped him from returning, until he did return and the war began publically. You all fought him along with a secret organisation and before your final year of school, your headmaster and the leader of the secret organisation was murdered and you, Hermione and Ron all went on the run, searching and destroying objects that gave this nut-job immortality. After almost a year you had the Final Battle, a lot of good people died but you won the war and now the magical world is good again."

"Essentially," Harry leaned back into the cushions of the couch and folded his arms. "We're all still healing and we've all suffered, Hermione more than most."

"Why?" Sam's deep voice filled the room, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"That's not my place to tell you, when Hermione's finished healing from the full moon, she'll explain it all to you."

"Change of subject then, _how_ do you know we're shape-shifters?" Jared asked.

"Well, Hermione knew that shape-shifters protected your land and Tribe before she even moved here. When a witch or wizard is born the files at the Ministry of Magic, our government, automatically update, keeping a record of every accidental magical outburst. It's the same with you, when you had your first transformation, as a technical member of our world, the files at the American Ministry updated, too. They sent an employee out from the Regulations for Control of Magical Creatures Department and they observed you for a week. Their reports state that you're not a danger to human life and therefore you won't be monitored further, but if another shifter does emerge, the records will be updated."

"How'd Hermione know about us if our identities weren't given to her?" Paul's brow furrowed slightly.

"Hermione's often referred to as 'the Brightest Witch of our Age' and with good reason. She's highly intelligent; she has the highest NEWT scores since Rowena Ravenclaw herself," he said proudly, but at their puzzled expressions he knew he'd have to explain a little further. "Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded over a thousand years ago by four of the most powerful witches and wizards to exist, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff and Godric Gryffindor. Ravenclaws are known for being intelligent, witty and having a high value for education, the traits Rowena had herself. But honestly, Hermione could've been sorted into any of the houses, Gryffindor for her bravery, Ravenclaw for her intelligence, Hufflepuff for her kindness and unwavering loyalty and Slytherin for her terrifying knack at vengeance. If there's one person you don't want to mess with, it's Hermione."

"She mentioned she's broken someone's nose," Paul arched an eyebrow. "Is that true?"

Harry snorted. "Yeah, she broke Draco Malfoy's nose when she was fourteen," he grinned proudly. "I swear, best day of my life. She's broken my nose _twice_ , Ron's clavicle once, she's accidentally broken George's wrist and Fred's right arm, too" he snorted. "She's _terrifying_. She kept an illegal Animagus trapped in a jar for two months..."

"What's an ani..." Jared paused, unable to finish his question.

"Animagus, they're essentially shape-shifters, only they aren't born with the ability to shift. It requires months of training the mind and body and it's a rare magical talent to achieve, most don't attempt it and once completed, registration with Ministry is a legal requirement so they may be tracked by their forms or markings. It's an automatic one year prison sentence if an illegal Animagus is discovered. Shape-shifters, however, are born with the ability to shift into an animal, though sometimes they go their whole lives without shifting, it depends on the genetic makeup. The point is, a reporter was writing rubbish about myself, Hermione and her then-boyfriend, Viktor Krum, so she made certain she taught her a lesson. In our fifth year, Hermione cursed a student for turning against us and blabbing the location of our secret room, where we were learning defensive magic illegally. Hermione led Umbridge into a trap which resulted in her being attacked by a giant and carried away by a heard of centaurs... Yes, they're real." They gawked at him and his mouth twitched in amusement. Is that what he'd looked like when he discovered the same information? Merlin, he hoped not.

"In our sixth year, she sent birds to attack Ron and his girlfriend, which they more than deserved," he grimaced, memories of the episodes of their PDA during mealtimes and their eyebrow arched in a way that was both amusing and frightening. "She put a Hair-loss Potion in Malfoy's food once, and a Flatulence Potion in Parkinson's morning tea. She's drugged two buffoons and brewed a potion without aid to allow myself and Ron to take their places when she was _twelve_ , which is highly impressive giving the potion isn't taught until sixth year. In school, she was two years ahead of everyone in Charms and Transfiguration and four years ahead of everyone else in Potions," he stated proudly. They looked surprised but not at the same time which was an odd expression.

"So, now that the war's over, what does Hermione do exactly?" Jared asked. "She's always in her basement, she calls it her lab."

"She's a Potion's Mistress, just like Snape's a Potion's Master. It's a highly respected occupation as it requires tremendous skill and patience. She makes potions for others and she has a contract with St. Helena's Magical Hospital, providing all of their required healing potions. Her potions lab is in her basement."

"What happened to Teddy's parents?" Sam asked with a frown, already knowing how they died but not the rest. None of them were blind to the way his eyes flashed angrily and his expression saddened.

"Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks were kind people. Remus was a werewolf, too, being turned at the young age of four. They both died in the Final Battle, a werewolf and a vampire attack. We lost a lot of good people that day, too many for me to be able to name, though thanks to their efforts, they won us the war. If it wasn't for Hermione, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Voldemort for the second time. She was my rock, I've lost count of the number of times she saved my life and she's sacrificed so much and lost so much, but she kept going. When everyone else was ready to give up or had given up, she didn't."

"How did Fred die?"

Harry sighed, his hand running through his hair before he rubbed at the faded scar on his forehead absentmindedly.

"He died in the Final Battle, as for how, Hermione should be the one to tell you, it's her life."

"Her scars on her stomach, back and shoulders, what caused them?" Sam asked, anger flashing in his eyes.

"She has scars?" Paul and Jared chorused in surprise.

"That's not my place to say, that's Hermione's decision if she wishes to tell you. But it was war, no one survived without some damage whether it be physical or emotional. Everyone has their demons."

"Can you show us some magic? Just to prove you're telling the truth," Jared asked.

"Well, Hermione can do far more impressive spells than I can. Put me in a duel and I can do a thing or two, but I'll see what I can do, something simple." Harry pulled his wand from his pocket and they eyed it carefully as he pointed it to the vase of flowers on the dining room table. " _Reducto_ ," he said clearly, a red beam jetting from his wand and hitting the vase, it exploded into thousands of pieces, glass covering every surface and water going everywhere. " _Reparo_ ," he said, waving his wand and the tiny shards of glass floating in the air before collecting together and reforming the vase, the flowers levitating back into the vase. "We have spells for almost anything," he shrugged, slipping his wand away as they silently stared between the vase and him.

"So," Jared cleared his head and gave his head a shake. If he weren't a shape-shifter, this might've been more difficult to process than it actually was. He was more surprised that Hermione was a werewolf than he was about the existence of magic. "If Hermione's a Potions Mistress and that Snape guy is a professor, what do you do?"

"I'm an Auror,"

"A what?"

"Magical policemen," he shrugged and they all made humming noises of comprehension. "At the moment, my main focus is capturing fugitive Death Eaters that have been on the loose since the Final Battle. Many of them died in battle, some have been captured and imprisoned and others are still at large. But, now, it's time for Hermione's hot chocolate and chocolate bar," he spoke, standing up.

"I'll do it," Sam said quickly, getting up from the couch and moving to the kitchen, not allowing him the chance to argue.

When the hot chocolate was made, he took it upstairs and to her bedroom, opening the door and stepping inside. He put the mug and chocolate bar down on her bedside table and turned his eyes to her, seeing her too-pale complexion and the bruises in her eyes but no scratches or marks.

Hermione suddenly bolted upright, wearing nothing but the robes Paul had helped her into earlier that morning. She stared at him silently and he wasn't sure what he should do, not wanting to break her routine after hearing what she was capable of, especially now that he knew about magic.

"Sam," she breathed his name like a prayer.

Her arm rose, holding her hand out to him expectantly and his eyes darted to it warily before slowly placed his hand in hers. With a gentle tug, she pulled him onto the bed beside her, pushing him down onto his back before resting her head on his shoulder and nuzzling his neck. A content sigh slipped past her lips, she quietly muttered something and then fell back asleep. He just lay there, gently holding her against him for God knows how long, but he'd been gone long enough that Harry, Severus, Jared and Paul came looking for him.

Harry's eyes widened slightly, Severus arched an eyebrow and Jared and Paul looked amused.

"What're you doing?" Harry whisper-hissed angrily. "She can't be disturbed during her healing stage."

"It's not my fault," he whisper-hissed back in defence. "She was awake when I entered the room and she pulled me onto the bed. She fell asleep nuzzling my neck and muttering under her breath."

Harry's brow furrowed. "What did she say? I assume you have enhanced senses, hearing and whatnot."

Sam nodded. "She said, My Sam, My Soul, My Mate." Harry's eyes bulged out of his head and Severus look thoughtful, if not surprised. "What does it mean?"

"It means you belong to her," Severus replied, though in a quieter voice than he would normally use. "You complete her; you fill the other half of her soul and her heart. She can't live without you in her life; she may die if you were to leave her."

"Imprint," Jared and Paul chorused in a whisper.

"What was that?" Harry asked.

They both looked at Sam for confirmation and he nodded, his gaze darting between them and Hermione's slumbering face.

"Imprinting, it's what wolves do but it's incredibly rare, the last pack decades ago only had one wolf do it. An imprintee is the one person the wolf cannot live without. She's his everything. His life, his oxygen, his gravity, she's the thing holding him to earth. Nothing matters but her. She makes us better, stronger, she completes us. It happens upon first sight and we can't control it; the moment Sam laid eyes on Hermione he belonged to her in every way possible," Jared explained.

"I will be whatever she needs me to be. A friend, a protector, a lover, a brother, if it makes her happy then I'll be it. Her happiness matters before all else," Sam finished.

"Well, then," Harry cleared his throat and shifted on his feet uncomfortably. "Hermione has essentially imprinted on you. You are her mate, her everything, you are the one person that will be able to calm her, the one person she can't and won't ever harm. It's why she's allowing you to stay with her during this process, she needs you, your presence is helping to heal her. Witches and wizards don't do this imprinting thing, but werewolves do, but as you said, it's incredibly rare, the fact that she found her mate is astounding," Harry said in a tone of awe. "We were all hoping that she'd return to England in the future but with you here, she will _never_ want to be without you, this is her home now and I'm going to have to get used to the fact, I won't be getting her back," he shook his head. "We better leave you, I'll bring her steak up when it's time. Teddy should be awake soon and I'll be spending the day with him before I go back to London tomorrow. Don't you have to get to work?"

"No, we don't have another job until Monday," Jared shrugged.

"And we're not leaving until she's better and she's spoken with us," Paul added.

"I thought you'd say that, I'll take you to her library, all her magical books are in there, you can have a read and do some research on the Wizarding World, but be warned, magical books aren't the same as muggle books, ours have been known to bite," his mouth twitched in amusement when they stared at him as if he had two heads.

~000~000~000~

**Saturday 17th December 2005**

It was the early hours of the morning when Hermione woke feeling better than she had in a long time; she was healed and she'd had no nightmares or memories of Fred's death filling her mind. She inhaled deeply, the scent of her mate filling her senses. _Her mate_! Her eyes snapped open, quickly locking gazes with Sam who was awake and staring down at her softly.

"So, Miss. Hermione Granger, werewolf and the Brightest Witch of your Age, I think we need to talk," he spoke, his tone soft but amused.

She cleared her throat. "Yes, Mr. Alpha of the Quileute wolf pack, I think we do," she replied.

He chuckled before his expression grew serious and worried. "How're you feeling? I didn't like seeing you like that, being in so much pain and I couldn't help you."

"I'm fine, thankfully, I only go through the change once a month and then I need a day to recuperate, but for the rest of the month, I'm perfectly alright. I take it you've been talking to Harry, seeing as you know I'm a witch?" He nodded. "Are you mad that I didn't tell you?"

"No, I understand why you kept it a secret, from what Harry told us, it's illegal to reveal the existence of magic to non-magical humans."

"Muggles," Hermione corrected.

"Right, _muggles_. I still can't believe there's a whole other world out there, a world people don't know about."

"We magical folk are still human, we still have the same desires, wants and needs, we just have magical capabilities to help us achieve them, over your science and technology. We have our own schools where children attend between the ages of eleven and eighteen. They teach you how to control and develop your magical abilities for life after school. We have our own currency, banks, hospitals, shopping centres, government, sports, music, medicines, newspapers, food and restaurants, clothing and fashion lines, villages and towns, cities. Everything muggles have, we have, too."

"And careers?"

"Teachers and professors, professional athletes, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, bankers, bakers, chefs, musicians, policemen and government officials, we have Unspeakables which are basically spies. We have dragon tamers and animal protectors and conservationists, spell inventors, reporters and photographers, we have everything you can possibly think of, we just have to stay hidden."

"Why?"

"The Witch Trials, of course, more muggles than witches were killed, but we have the Statute of Secrecy now and it keeps the Wizarding World and the Muggle World separate for our safety. If muggles were to discover the existence of magic, it would be a repeat of history, we are safe and happy with our lives, so why risk that?"

"I see your point," he tipped his head.

"Well, I need to shower and wash all this mud of grime off me."

She pushed herself up and away from him, climbing out of bed and stretching with her arms above her head, wincing when something 'clicked'.

"We haven't finished talking yet," he said, pushing himself up and turning to plant his feet on the ground.

"We can finish after I've showered. Jared and Paul will want to know everything, too, and I'm not repeating myself, I know they'll be back soon."

"How d'you know that?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, you've been here with me since yesterday morning, which means they likely took over your patrol shifts, and I have enhanced senses, too, maybe not as strong as yours but I still have them. I can't smell them which means they're not here and I know they want answers so they'll be back to get them," she shrugged, retreating to her bathroom and sniggering when she felt his surprised stare trained on her back.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 12

**Saturday 17th December 2005**

She emerged from her bathroom with her wet hair hanging down her back and sporting a red silk robe, the contrasting against her pale skin. His eyes were drawn to her, watching her movements as she walked into her closet only to emerge minutes later wearing a pair of pink ankle socks, black leggings and a baggy pink t-shirt.

"How'd you get dressed so quickly?"

"Magic," she shrugged, reaching for her wand on the bedside table and waving it over herself, Sam watching in wonder as her hair dried in seconds, her ringlets flowing down her back. "Drying Charm," she explained.

"Do you have spells for everything?"

"Pretty much," she nodded. "I'm sure I heard the boys come in the front door, let's go and get this over with."

Not giving him chance to reply, she left her bedroom and headed down the stairs, Sam following behind her and the moment she stepped into view, Paul smirked and Jared gave her an amused smile, perched from their places on the couch.

"So, Miss. Hermione Granger is a _witch?_ " Paul arched an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be green, have warts and fly on a broom?"

"How long did it take you to come up with that one?" She rolled her eyes and Sam and Jared snorted at her as she took a seat on the couch opposite, Sam sitting beside her. "Besides, you're stereotyping, witches aren't green and don't have warts, well, _most_ don't, but we do fly on brooms." They blinked in surprise, she supposed Harry hadn't told them that. "It's one of our forms of transport, I, however, hate it and I prefer that my feet stay firmly on the ground."

" _One_ form of transport?" Jared picked up on her statement.

"Yes, we have several. Flying on a broom, port-keying, flooing and apparition. Port-keying is essentially teleporting, we charm an object to take us to a specific destination and when it's activated, it whisks us away. I can get from here to England in a matter of minutes. It's why you likely never saw a moving man when I moved here; I had all of my belongings and furniture shrunken down in my bag. Apparition is also a form of teleportation, only a witch or wizard has to be seventeen and have a licence, much like driving. It's more suitable for short-distance travel; I can get from here to the supermarket in less than a minute. And flooing is using the fireplace to get from one destination to another but we can also use it to make video calls," she shrugged.

"So this is why you don't drive?" He guessed.

"Yes, I don't need to since I have various methods of transport available to me. It's also how Harry and Severus are able to get here once a month. They use the floo network to get home, they can come and visit me anytime and any day without issue."

"You're a werewolf," Paul suddenly stated with a wide grin and she couldn't help but laugh at him.

"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting. Yes, I'm a werewolf but I'm still me. Just one night of the month I change into a werewolf."

"What about the day? You're terrifying," Paul shivered.

"Sorry about that," she said sheepishly. "During the day of the full moon, I become moody, my hearing, smell and sight are _very_ sensitive and the slightest thing can set me off. It's my body reacting to the pull of the moon which I can feel the minute I wake up, whether the full moon is twelve hours away or one, I can still feel it. There isn't really anything you can do to help me but if you give me chocolate and a lot of it, it may make me less volatile." They gave her amused looks, obviously having noticed the large quantities of chocolate she had in her house. "Don't be fooled though, during the full moon I'm not myself, I can't control my actions and I'm dangerous."

"You didn't seem dangerous last night," Paul shrugged dismissively.

"That's because you're wolves, too, and my wolf recognised your scents, she recognised you as my pack and so I _couldn't_ hurt you. In addition, I take a potion, the Wolfsbane Potion, it's horrendous," she pulled a face. "I take it once every day of the week leading up to the full moon and it helps me to have a small amount of control during the full moon, I wake up and I can remember everything, I'm lucky. Most werewolves don't have access to such a potion."

"Why not?" Sam asked with a frown.

"In the Wizarding World, werewolves are not treated very kindly, we're ostracised for having lycanthropy even though most don't want to be 'monsters'. The laws regarding werewolves are disgusting," she scowled. "Werewolves aren't allowed to enter hospitals and they aren't allowed medical treatment unless they can find a private healer to treat them. Werewolves aren't allowed to have bank accounts or own businesses, to adopt or marry." They looked disgusted. "The Wolfsbane Potion will change their lives forever but it's an expensive potion to brew and it's very difficult and requires great skill from the best of Potion Masters. I brew mine myself but it took me six months to get it right, up until that point, Severus brewed my potions for me. I brew several batches and I send them to the Ministry of Magic to hand out to as many werewolves as possible"

"Then how did you adopt Teddy?" Jared's brow furrowed slightly and his head tilted to the side.

"There are only eight people that know of my lycanthropy, Harry, Severus, Kingsley Shacklebolt who is the Minister of Magic, he's basically our President and there's Headmistress McGonagall, Madam Pomphrey who is the school's healer, and now there's you three. I've kept it hidden from the public for obvious reasons. Harry told you about the war that I was a part of?" They nodded. "I'm a War Heroine, people idolise me but that would change the moment they discovered my condition, it wouldn't matter that I helped to save the world. It's why I moved here, I wasn't kidding when I said I was well known. I couldn't walk down the street without a reporter following me, someone asking for an autograph or camera flashes going off in my face. I needed my privacy back and I needed to get away from the aftermath of the war. I wasn't needed there anymore and I didn't want Teddy growing up in a fishbowl." She pulled her wand from seemingly out of nowhere before she summoned four mugs, the coffee, milk, teabags and sugar. " _Aquamenti_ ," she muttered, filling the mugs up with water before using a Heating Charm and proceeding to make the beverages.

"Do you have spells for everything?" Jared asked, watching the magical making of his coffee in surprised wonder.

"Pretty much," she nodded, "The limitations of magic is astounding but there are exceptions that even magic can't make possible."

"Such as?"

"We can't conjure food from thin air, we can summon it if it's already there, but we can't just magic it up. We can't cure cancer but we can cure a common cold. We can cure most illnesses, fix broken bones in a matter of days, sometimes hours, depending on the severity of the situation, broken fingers and noses can be fixed in minutes. We have potions and spells to help with healing, we have spells that can conjure water from the tip of our wands, spells that can create fire and wind, that can change your appearance for a little while, that can break and repair things, that allow us to read minds, spells that hurt and kill and control your mind and spells that torture, those last three, in particular, are dark magic and the use of any one of them is an automatic prison sentence. There are lots of things magic can do and lots of things it can't do. But seeing as you now know my secret, I don't have to hide myself anymore, so..."

She flicked her wrist and suddenly all of the photographs surrounding the open planned room came to life, people running around, people waving and throwing their heads back laughing. They spluttered in shock.

"I knew it!" Jared exclaimed, pointing at Hermione accusingly. "I knew I saw that photo move."

Hermione chuckled. "Yes, you did, all magical photos move but they don't make sound."

"How'd you _become_ a werewolf?" Paul asked, feeling as though he should do it since no one else had yet broached the subject out of fear of upsetting her.

She sighed, looking tired before she leaned back into the couch, folding both hands around her mug. "The Final Battle, I tried to save this girl that was less experienced in the art of defensive magic, though she insisted she stay and fight. She was attacked by a werewolf, I intervened and I killed him," she confessed, her eyes falling downcast, refusing to make eye contact with any of them until she felt Sam's hand on her shoulder, pulling her to lean against him. "I didn't get to her in time and she died, I'd failed her. The full moon after the Final Battle, 23rd of May, I was helping to restore Hogwarts in hopes that we could have it repaired by September so school could continue, and I was in the Forbidden Forest talking with the centaurs since they seemed to like me. I was on my way back to the castle, there were two werewolves there and we didn't know about them, they were a part of Fenrir Greyback's pack and they'd been in hiding, fugitives. A fully transformed werewolf is a difficult creature to fend against by yourself, let alone two. They recognised that I was the one to have killed one of their packmates, they overpowered me and they both bit me out of revenge but the centaurs showed up and scared them off before they could kill me. They protected me until the next morning when Harry came looking for me. I was rushed to the hospital wing and I'd lost a lot of blood but Madam Pomphrey was able to stabilise me. I was healed within a week and three weeks later, I had my first transformation. I've been a werewolf for nineteen months now."

"How does it affect you?" Sam asked her softly.

"It doesn't really, except for the day of the full moon. Though I do have enhanced hearing, smell and sight, it's just not as good as yours since you were _born_ with your abilities in your genetic makeup, they were just dormant. During the day of the full moon, my senses are stronger and the same applies to a couple of days before and after, as well. The closer I get to the full moon, the rarer I like my meat and I have an addiction to chocolate, my body _craves_ it, likely due to the sugar. I eat far more than I used to and when I get angry my wolf comes out. I'm talking about growling and glowing eyes. I don't like it when those I consider my pack are threatened and I'm fiercely protective of them, you included." Paul and Jared arched their eyebrows. "I've always known there was something different about you; there were too many oddities not to notice. Your appetite, your body temperature, your smell, your strength and healing capabilities, not to mention, I felt _very_ protective of you all, I was drawn to you. I don't like the thought of you being harmed and I will protect you, kill for you if I have to. It was my wolf recognising you as my pack. Sam is my mate and I heard everything last night." They appeared surprised by her declaration. "I know that I'm Sam's imprint."

Hearing footsteps, they all looked towards the stairs to see Harry and Severus and Hermione blinked in surprise, realising that it was no longer dark outside.

"We better head back," Harry spoke. "I have to get to the office, we're tracking a rogue Death Eater and hopefully we'll have a location on him."

"But you haven't had breakfast," she frowned, placing her tea on the coffee table, standing and meeting him halfway.

"It's alright, I said I'd visit Molly this morning before heading into work," he shrugged and she chuckled before hugging him tightly.

"Same time next month?"

"Of course, couldn't keep me away."

She kissed his cheek and stepped back, Severus stepped forward. "You haven't had breakfast either."

"Neither have you," he replied.

She rolled her eyes before hugging him and then stepping out of their way as they crossed to the fireplace, Hermione flicking her wand until it burst with flames and Harry grabbed a handful of floo powder from the bowl on the mantelpiece.

"Take care of her for us," Harry spoke to the three shape-shifters, before calling out, "the Burrow," and throwing the powder down and the flames flared up and he disappeared from view.

"Fucking hell," Paul muttered in surprise.

Severus rolled his eyes and stepped into the flames. "Minerva McGonagall's Office," he drawled, throwing down the powder and he disappeared into the flames, too.

Their eyes moved to her and she simply shrugged her shoulders. "Floo travel, welcome to my world, boys," she said before returning to her seat on the couch. "Right, where were we?" She mused to herself. "Oh, mates, so, I'm Sam's mate and he's mine, technically that makes us pack seeing as I'm a wolf, too. Does that make me the den mother?" She tilted her head to the side.

"No, you would've been if you were human but seeing as you're a wolf, you're the Alpha Female," Sam answered.

"You're like our friend, mother and sister rolled into one," Jared confessed. "We're comfortable around you, we care for you like family," he shrugged. She hummed.

"Anyway, I'm surprised you didn't figure out that I knew about you being shape-shifters, I've been dropping hints for a month."

"Yeah, that wasn't funny," Paul scowled but his mouth was twitching as he tried to fight the smile.

She smirked as she stood from the couch and headed to the kitchen, being followed by the three shape-shifters and they took seats at the breakfast bar as she made a start on breakfast. Just as she was dishing out the food, Teddy woke and she was quick to collect him and bring him downstairs before handing him to Paul.

"If Teddy's father was a werewolf, is he a werewolf, too?"

"No," she shook her head. "Werewolves don't and can't inherit lycanthropy; it can only be acquired through being bitten or deeply scratched on a full moon. However, Teddy isn't exactly human either."

"What d'you mean?" Jared asked, examining Teddy thoughtfully.

"He inherited a rare magical talent from his mother."

"And that is?"

"I'll show you." She held her arms out expectantly and though Teddy loved Paul, she was his favourite and he was quick to dive into her arms. "Hey, Teddy Bear, remember when I told you that you couldn't do your special tricks? Well, Paul, Jared and Sam know about magic now, so you don't have to hide them anymore. You can show them how special you are." He looked up at her hesitantly and she smiled softly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "It's okay, I promise, show them how special you are." Hermione handed Teddy back to Paul and he reached up and tugged on Paul's hair.

They looked to Hermione in confusion before they choked on their intake of oxygen as Teddy's hair changed from a messy blonde to a short black, starting at the tips and ending at the roots. His eyes changed from a grassy-green to a dark brown and his skin from a light tan to a russet tone.

"What the hell is that?" Jared whispered. Hermione took Teddy from Paul once more and Teddy's hair changed from black to mahogany curls, his eyes chocolate brown and his skin to an ivory tone.

"Teddy is also a shape-shifter, just as his mother was but he's known as Metamorphmagus. Where you have the ability to change into an _animal_ , Teddy has the ability to change his _appearance_ into anything he wishes. As he gets older, his hair colour will depend on his mood. His mother's hair was always a bright bubble pink, signalling that she was happy. When she was sad her hair was blue, when she was angry it was jet black. She used to change her nose into a pig's snout and make pig noises to make us laugh," Hermione said with a sad chuckle.

"It makes sense," Sam shrugged.

"What does?" She tipped her head questioningly.

"Teddy's shape-shifting ability. Whenever he tugged on our hair you were always quick to distract him."

Hermione snorted. "In our world, he doesn't have to hide who he is because he's around magic every day, he sees it every day, but here, you weren't aware of magic and seeing a child with the ability to change his appearance would've been hard to explain. I had to be careful with him; I had to watch him at all times. If he tugs on your hair or stares at you intensely, it's an indicator that he's going to change his appearance. Now that you know, you can help me to disguise his abilities from the public. He isn't old enough to be alone with a muggle in case he uses his abilities and he's still learning to control them, he's quite good at changing at will, it's controlling his emotions. When he has a temper tantrum his hair turns bright red and so does his eyebrows." They laughed at her. "It's also why I didn't introduce you to him the moment we met, I couldn't risk him using his abilities."

"So if he tugs on someone's hair or stares at someone, distract him," Paul nodded and she grinned. "Got it."

"Though you don't really have to worry about him tugging on someone's hair, he only really does that to us four and Harry, rarely others."

"Those that he'll allow to hold him," Jared mused.

"Yes and I've figured out why that is, why he's so comfortable around you."

"Why?" The three men asked in sync with raised eyebrows, causing her to snort in amusement.

"Well, Teddy's father, Remus, was a werewolf and although Teddy can't inherit lycanthropy he will have an awareness of other wolves, he can sense when they're around him. He knows that I'm a werewolf, not to mention, I was with him every day when he was still with his Grandmother, he recognises my wolf and he recognises Harry because he's his Godfather. He allows you to hold him because he can sense the wolves in you, he's comfortable around you. He can sense the pack bond and he knows that Sam's the Alpha. He knows that you're not a threat to him. You're his pack, his family," she said softly. "Face it, boys, you're no longer a pack of three, you now have a werewolf and a Metamorphmagus," she said amused. They looked at her dazed before they beamed. "We're a freaky bunch, aren't we?" She questioned and they laughed as she turned to gather their plated foods, placing them in front of them.

"We have more questions," Jared told her after they'd convened in the living room, breakfast being over and Hermione having dressed Teddy for the day.

Hermione laughed. "I wouldn't expect anything less. Your first question?"

The looks on their faces told her it wasn't going to be of a happy nature and it was Sam that spoke,

"How did you get your scars?"

"What scars?" Paul and Jared questioned, not looking happy at the thought of her having scars.

"War comes with consequences," she said softly before handing Teddy over to Sam and standing up, grabbing the hem of her shirt.

"What're you doing?" he asked her quickly, his narrowed eyes darting to Paul and Jared.

"Showing them my scars, you've all seen me naked, there's no point in being shy," she shrugged. "Hell, Severus has seen me naked and he's like a father to me, I've seen you and Paul naked, the only person I haven't yet seen naked is Jared."

"When have you seen Sam naked?" Paul smirked.

"I'll answer if you'd like me to, I've always been good with words, I can make it _very_ descriptive if you wish," she smiled sweetly, Paul grimaced and shook his head vehemently and Jared laughed.

"Why's he like a father to you, he seemed cold to me?" Jared asked.

"I saved his life after the Final Battle. The cliff notes version is that Voldemort turned on him and ordered his freaky pet snake to bite him, so I extracted the snake venom from his bloodstream and keep him alive long enough to get him to the hospital wing, he would've died otherwise. For a while he hated me for saving his life, he wouldn't even look at me let alone speak to me, but started talking about her shared interest of potions and grew close, particularly after my parents disowned me. He's as good a father as any, he's got a sense of humour, albeit a dry one and he does care for people, he just hides it very well."

"And why did they disown you? What was it they disagreed with?" Sam asked, remembering their conversation from weeks ago.

"My parents are muggles and since I was Undesirable Number Two, I was the second most wanted person in Europe, coming second to Harry. I had to fight in the war, I had to stay by Harry's side to help him. He was all action but I was the brains behind every move we made. Death Eaters were already killing muggles, torturing them for entertainment and I knew they'd target my parents to draw me out of hiding, to hurt me and so I did what I could to protect them."

"And that is?"

She sighed, brushing her hair back from her face and over her shoulder. "I took away their memories. I used a powerful Memory Charm that wiped all traces of me from their lives and it was locked safely away in the back of their minds. They didn't know I existed. I gave them new memories, new identities and I gave them the urge to pack up and move to Australia, they'd always wanted to visit. They were safe, Death Eaters tried to find them but they couldn't. My plan and sacrifice had worked. After the war, I went to Australia and I found them, I gave them back their memories and they were disgusted with me, they didn't understand that I did what I did to protect them and they disowned me. They never wanted to see me again, to them I was dead, I never existed," she whispered and they stared at her in surprise.

Taking a moment, she took a calming breath before she then turned and lifted the back of her t-shirt, showcasing the scars on her back and she heard them gasp before she lowered the fabric and turned to face them.

"It looks like you've been whipped," Jared whispered in horror.

"Not whipped, it was a curse. I was caught in the crossfire during the Final Battle, Harry managed to temporarily heal me but I had to seek medical attention after the battle. The curse rips the skin apart, it gouges out parts of you and it's extremely painful, most pass out immediately, it kills if you're not healed quickly enough. Luckily, Harry knew the counter curse, even if he was rubbish at it but he was still able to save my life."

She then shifted her collar to show them the burn on her shoulder, followed by lifting her t-shirt to show them the thick scar that split her torso in half and the dozens of smaller scars.

"The larger one, I was sixteen. I almost died and I would've if I hadn't been as quick as I was in silencing my opponent." She heard a growl rip from Sam's throat. "I forced him to cast the curse non-verbally and non-verbal and wandless magic is very difficult and requires years of practice. I was on a regime of ten potions a day for three months, and I was in the hospital for two weeks and on bed rest for two months. The smaller cuts I got when we were on the run and we were captured by Snatchers who took us to Voldemort's base of operations."

"Harry never mentioned that," Sam muttered unhappily.

"He was protecting my privacy, I went through hell that day. Harry and Ron were put in the dungeons, but not me, I was kept upstairs and tortured for information because I was a Muggleborn, expendable," she whispered. She put her wand to her head and whispered a spell, white smoke being pulled from her temple and she flicked her wand, the smoke moving to the middle of the room and a screen appearing. "Witches and wizards have the ability to remove and store memories so they can be shared with others, I want you to know what I went through, but I can't talk about it, so I'll show you instead."

Silently Hermione took a seat beside Sam and plucked Teddy off her lap, muttering a Silencing Charm and placing it around the little boy, being sure to keep his attention as far from the screen as possible. It was the longest moments of their lives as they watched Hermione writhe and scream on the floor, as she was carved into and tortured, as she was threatened with rape by the large and terrifying Alpha werewolf. But she never once answered their questions, she never once gave up any information.

When the memory ended with her rescue Sam was shaking violently, so violently the whole couch was vibrating. Hermione was crying as tears streamed down her cheeks and Teddy's hair had changed to green as he clung to Hermione tightly. Paul and Jared sat ramrod straight, their eyes wide and mouths open in disbelief, horror.

Seeing Sam shaking, they stood to help but they were shaking themselves, and Jared crossed to Sam, pulled him from the couch and forced him out of the house, just as they heard clothing rip and paws thudding against the sand.

Paul approached Hermione, sitting beside her and slipping his arm around her shoulders, tugging her to lean against him as she cried. This was not the time for jokes and he knew it, Billy Black had been right. Hermione Granger had sacrificed a lot for the world, she'd been tortured in ways he couldn't even imagine, in ways he didn't think were possible and yet she had still beaten them by not giving in. Thanks to her, the world was safe, both Magical and Muggle.

"You're so brave," he whispered. "To have gone through that and to have won a war. To be sitting here right now, alive, well and happy, that just goes to show the kind of person you are. And I'm honoured to have an Alpha like you, I'm honoured to have you as a packmate, and if you tell anyone that I said that, I'll deny it and then kill you."

She gave a sob-laugh and sniffled. "You'd have to be quick; I'm quite good in a duel."

"So we've been told, two years above in spell work and four in potions?"

Hermione shrugged. "It's not my fault they couldn't keep up with me."

He laughed as she wiped her tears away. "Where's the scar on your arm? Judging by the amount of blood loss and how deep the carving was, you should have a scar." He felt her flinch before she lifted her arm and waved her wand over it. The world 'mudblood' stood out against her ivory skin in jagged and ugly lettering, looking as though it had been written by a child. "What's a Mudblood?"

She stiffened before relaxing, shifting Teddy in her hold. "It means dirty blood, that I'm not worthy of magic, that I don't deserve to live. Those that were followers of Voldemort believed that Muggleborns stole magic and that's why some Purebloods were weaker than others and the reason Squibs were born."

"Do you?"

"Of course not," she scoffed. "You can't _steal_ magic, you're _born_ with it, just as you're born with your ability to shape-shift. Purebloods are weaker because of the inbreeding and Squibs are born for the same reason. They're diminishing the gene pool and therefore their magic suffers. Many Pureblood families have already died out and it won't be long before they all have and they will if they don't listen to reason. Thankfully, some Pureblood families associated with Voldemort seem to be trying at least, others are in prison and can't carry on their gene pool even if they wanted to," she shrugged.

They sat in silence for a short while and when the door opened and Jared and Sam walked in, Sam's gaze locked on Hermione instantly and she was quick with handing a sleeping Teddy over to Paul before she stood and ran to Sam, jumping into his arms and he caught her, hugging her tightly to him.

He inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent, his nose nuzzling against her skin as he sighed. "You're never going to go through anything like that again, I promise that I'll protect you and nothing will harm you or Teddy."

She melted into against his body and sighed. "Are you feeling better?" She asked softly.

"I _hated_ seeing you that way; I couldn't help you or protect you."

"I survived it, everything you saw was the mild version, I showed you five minutes, I was tortured for ten hours." His grip on her tightened painfully and he growled into her ear before she slowly pulled away from him and led him back over to the couch, taking a seat. "Any more questions?" she asked quietly.

"Just one," Sam muttered. "Fred, how did he die?"

Her face contorted in sadness and anger. "Vampire," Hermione spat and much to their shock, her eyes flashed a terrifying amber. "Three first year students hadn't managed to get out of the castle safely and they were wandering around the battlefield trying to find somewhere safe to hide. Fred dulled two Death Eaters to protect them and he managed to incapacitate them and he was helping the first years to safety when a vampire came out of nowhere. He jumped in front of them and he was torn apart, I was twenty feet away, I saw everything." They stared in horrified silence. "I fucking _hate_ vampires, I was tracking the bitch that'd killed him but I lost her after two months. Sooner or later I'm going to catch up with her and when I do I'm going to kill her, in fact, I'm going to see if vampires really do have souls," she said in a cold, dark tone that none of them liked.

"How?" Jared whispered.

"Dementors, one of the darkest creatures to ever exist. They feed on a person's happiness, on all of the positivity in someone's life, they just suck it right out of you. It's the worst feeling in the world; I'd rather be tortured again than be in the presence of a dementor. They guard the prison of Azkaban where all criminals are kept; no one can escape it, not with them guarding it. If you're given the punishment of the dementor's kiss, they suck your soul out and you either die a horrible and painful death or you survive as a barely functioning shell of a human being." They stared at her horrified. "It's either that or I take her to visit Charlie Weasley in Romania, he's a dragon tamer. Let's see how the bitch feels about being set on fire by a twenty foot tall Hungarian Horntail, one of the most aggressive dragon breeds. They play with their food, maybe it'll eat her first," she said menacingly.

"Hermione, you're kind of scaring me," Jared muttered.

Her dark expression suddenly left her face, her eyes returning to the warm chocolate brown and her face softened.

"Sorry," she sighed, "But when I find her, I'll make sure she suffers for what she's done. She didn't only kill Fred, she killed Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Padma Patil and Professor Sinistra, and they're only the ones that I witnessed her killing, there's bound to be more, and I have no doubt she's killed outside the Final Battle, too."

They all shared a glance before looking back to her. "Hermione, there's something we have to tell you," Paul hesitated, "There's a coven of seven vampires living in..."

"Forks?" She interrupted. "I know, I was aware before I moved here. I don't care if they drink animal blood, if they come anywhere near this land, I'll have set their arses on fire before they could even blink," she promised.

"I didn't think it was possible to like you more than I already do, you've just proven me wrong," he said with a wide grin.

Hermione's eyes darted to him and she laughed, breaking the tension in the room.

"Right, you've heard about my past, now tell me about the legends of the Tribe."

"How 'bout we wait?" Sam offered and she looked dejected. "Just until Monday," he added hastily, "There's a bonfire Monday night, we all gather around it and eat plenty of food whilst Billy tells the legends to everyone. Of course, only the Council and us know the legends are true, the others just think they're stories and you can meet some more people from the Res."

"Can Teddy come?" She asked.

He chuckled. "He _is_ part of the pack." She grinned at him widely, excitement written clear as day across her face. "Now, witch, show us some magic like you promised."

"Okay, did Harry show you anything?"

"He broke that vase over there and then fixed it."

"Simple," she nodded. "Okay, then how about my speciality? Every witch has a hex that we're known for, I'll show you mine." She stood and pointed her wand above her head, whispering " _Avis!_ " They blinked slowly as a flock of bright yellow canaries shot out the tip of her wand and circled above. "If I use an _Oppungo_ , I can control the birds and they'll attack anyone I want them to," she grinned and with a flick of her wand, the birds disappeared.

She then gripped her wand and spun on her heel and they gawked as she disappeared, reappearing behind Paul and Jared with a crack, them both startling with Jared almost falling from the couch and she laughed.

"That is apparition," she explained.

"Why didn't you use that yesterday to get home?" Sam frowned.

"I couldn't; it takes immense concentration to apparate otherwise I could splinch myself, also, I wasn't kidding when I said I couldn't leave. I was warded in with only a five mile radius," she shrugged.

"Warded?"

"It's a form of magic that erects invisible barriers around a specific property or area. Severus and I put up barriers around the woods. Once I stepped through I couldn't leave until Severus came for me the next morning and he deactivated the wards. The wards keep muggles out and away from the area and it keeps me in so that I can't hurt anyone."

"Then how were we able to get to you?"

"A technicality, if you were in human form you wouldn't have been able to get to me, but because you were in your wolf forms, you could pass through the barriers. We didn't take into account shape-shifting wolves finding me, if we had, we would've put wards up preventing you from entering," she shrugged.

"Show us some more magic," Jared demanded, looking excited and she laughed, but conceded to his wishes.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 11

**Saturday 17th December 2005**

“Right, now you can help me get this place set up.” She waved her wand and several boxes appeared in front of them in the blink of an eye. “You boys can put the tree up and I’ll do the rest.”

“How’re you supposed to reach?” Paul asked, noticing the ceiling decorations as he nosily dug through the box.

In response, she flicked her wand and they watched as decorations levitated from the box, floating up to the ceiling and then she flicked her wand again and used a Sticking Charm to keep them in place.

“Like that.”

“We’ll do the tree,” he nodded and she laughed.

They spent most of the day decorating the house with Christmas decorations, talking, laughing and Hermione doing displays of magic and as the sky grew dark, Hermione made dinner and later put Teddy to bed before they convened in the living room for a little while longer, Hermione soon noticing the boys nodding off; they likely hadn’t slept at all if they’d covered Sam’s patrols as well as their own.

“You can stay here tonight,” she told them. “Take any room you wish to.”

“Go and get some rest before patrols,” Sam ordered, and without argument, they muttered their goodnights and tiredly stumbled towards the stairs, she and Sam watching them go before they disappeared from view, only their footsteps being heard before two doors closed. “I better go; I have patrols. I’ll be back later.”

She nodded with a smile and gave him a quick kiss before he left out the door and she retired for the night, too.

~000~000~000~

She was drawn from her dreams by the sound of the door opening and closing, a smile tugging at her mouth when the scent hit her nose.

“I didn’t think you’d be back tonight,” she muttered.

“I told you I was coming back, I had to wake the others up for patrols,” his deep voice rumbled, and it was followed by the sound of him removing his shoes and jeans before he slipped into bed behind her, pulling her to him and she sighed softly, snuggling beneath the blankets and against his warmth.

“Is it weird that I missed you?” She murmured.

“No, you’re my imprint and I’m yours, I missed you, too.”

He pressed a kiss to her cheek and she smiled, turning to his arms to face and slowly her eyes opened, quickly adjusting the darkness around her. Being a werewolf wasn’t _always_ bad, she’d come to learn. Unlike Remus, she’d accepted what and who she was, she’d accepted the other side of her, her wolf. She didn’t fight it or her instincts and she didn’t wallow or practice self-hatred. If Remus had had more understanding parents (unlike his God awful father who was the sole reason for Remus being bitten due to his prejudice bullshit) she was certain he’d have grown to appreciate the advantages that came with lycanthropy. If he’d had someone to love him for who he was, he wouldn’t have been so self-loathing.

“What time is it?”

“A little after three, Jared and Paul should be back around seven.”

“You should get some sleep.”

“I should,” he agreed, but the expression on his face spoke volumes and she felt herself smile up at him.

She lifted her head to give him a quick kiss but it didn’t end as Sam moved his hands into her hair, keeping her to him and soon their tongues were battling for dominance. Hermione shifted impossibly close to him, pushed him onto his back and followed him, straddling him. His fingers untangled from her hair before he lowered them, slipping beneath her oversized t-shirt and trailing over soft curves as her fingers tickled his torso.

When the need for oxygen became too great, she pulled her mouth from his, trailing her kisses down his neck and jaw and nipping at his skin. When she felt his hands smooth the length of her back before closing around her hips, she drew back from him until she was sitting and he was quick to follow, folding his arms around her and holding her to him. Reaching down in-between their bodies, she gripped the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it over her head, dropping it to the ground, Sam’s holding tightening slightly before his mouth found her neck, kissing and nipping at her skin and moving lower until he reached her breasts, taking a nipple in his mouth. A whimper fell from her, her hands threading through his hair and tugging until a growl rumbled in his chest.

She pushed him away from her and down onto his back before she reached over to the bedside table and grabbed her wand, pointing it at the door and muttering spells under her breath before dropping it back it onto the surface. 

“Silencing and Locking Charms,” she explained to his questioningly raised eyebrow. “No one can get in and no one can hear anything, but we can hear everything that happens out there.”

He looked mildly impressed until he saw the bright amber of her eyes, his own automatically darkening in response as he pulled her flush against him, crashing his mouth against hers and promptly rolling them until he loomed over her, cradled in her thighs that wrapped around his waist. She kept one hand in his hair and the other slowly trailed down his torso before reaching the waistband of his underwear, his hips involuntarily bucking against her and she moaned in surprise, so he purposely did it again. Hermione snaked her hand into his underwear and gripped his length, Sam emitting a loud growl at her touch.

“No more teasing,” he muttered against her mouth before pulling back, hooking his hands into her underwear and tugging them down her legs, the scent of her arousal filling his nose and he breathed in deeply, staring at her heatedly.

He placed kisses along her ankles and moving slowly up her legs, nipping at the sensitive skin behind her knee and nibbling her inner thighs but before he could place a kiss on her centre, Hermione grabbed him and pulled him up to her.

“No more teasing,” she repeated his words, crashing her mouth against his and clinging to him as he pushed himself against her.

Hermione’s patience wore thin and she couldn’t the instincts of the wolf any longer and without thought, she reached between them, grabbed Sam’s underwear and shifted them down as far as she could, Sam taking the hint and drawing back from her long enough to finish the job, only for Hermione to pull him back on top of her. After a little teasing from Sam and a few growls of warning from Hermione, Sam lined himself up with Hermione’s entrance before looking at her questioningly.

“I’m on the potion,” she informed him but he looked puzzled. “It’s a Contraception Potion, I take it once a month and it’s one hundred percent effective, I brew it myself so I know it’s reliable.”

Although he was surprised her reveal of her contraceptives being one hundred percent effective when he knew that wasn’t the case for non-magicals, he didn’t comment and instead latched his mouth onto hers, her hands threading into his hair and tugging lightly. He shifted his weight before slowly easing himself into her, her breath hitching until a gasp fell from her and she pulled her mouth from him, her head falling back against the pillow and her back arching, her chest pushing against his.

Sam gritted his teeth against the _very_ tight fit, his hands fisting tightly as he fought for control, as he fought the wolf and his primal instincts to mark and rut her. He couldn’t do that to her, she was worth more than that. As he remained still, he felt her chest brush his with every breath he took and given how he felt, he was suddenly worried he’d hurt her. Lifting his head from her neck and his gaze locking on her, seeing her eyes closed, her wild hair spread around her and her teeth biting into her lower lip. There was nothing for him to worry about.

He had found his favourite place in the world; being with Hermione and nothing could be better.

Hermione’s eyes slowly fluttered open, glowing amber piercing his very soul. Her hands unwound from his hair and slipped down to his biceps, her nails digging into his skin and she wriggled her hips, encouraging him to move and that was all the encouragement he needed as he withdrew from her and slowly moved his hips. Her nails dug deeper, leaving crescent-shaped marks and drawing blood which only spurred him as she moaned and gasped and flung her head back.

Time seemed to slow as he held her gaze and kept his place slow and deliberate, purposely drawing it out for as long as he possibly could and before he knew it, they were both approaching their climaxes. Hermione’s hands scraped down over his shoulders and down the length of his back, leaving a trail of blood they could both smell and he growled in pained-pleasure as her body gripped him tighter. Before he saw it coming, she had him on his back with his arms pinned by his head and he stared up at her, her eyes the brightest amber he had seen yet.

“Do you accept?” She asked quietly but her voice, it almost didn’t sound like it was her, it sounded different. He blinked slowly, silently. “Do you accept?” she repeated.

He answered without hesitation, his wolf purring in his chest in agreement, approval and joy. “Yes, I accept.”

She lowered herself and crashed her mouth against his, finally rocking her hips against his and building up to their release and when Hermione felt herself approaching the cliff, her fangs lengthened and she buried her face in Sam’s neck, biting into the junction between neck and shoulder, drawing blood.

“ _Fuck_!” Sam growled in surprise, his hands gripping her hips so tightly he was sure to leave bruises and he found his release.

Hermione slumped against him boneless and happy and his arms folded around her, holding her to him gently. She tilted her head and licked at his neck, cleaning away the blood and helping the wound to heal. But unlike most injuries he may receive, this bite would forever leave a mark. A mark that showed he belonged to her.

Her heart pounded in her chest and he was able to both hear it and feel it against his won, her hair was a tangled, wild mass of curls, sticking to her forehead and down her back, her skin was littered in red mouth-shaped marks and her hips had finger-shaped bruises. Her lips were red and swollen, her skin flushed a light pink and a thin sheen of sweat glistened on her body, both from their activities and his overly hot body temperature. He thought he’d never seen her more beautiful.

“You bit me,” he said, still feeling surprised but also amused. She’d _bitten_ him. She’d bitten him hard enough to break the skin and draw blood.

She tilted her head, giving him a sheepish smile before burying hiding her face in his neck, occasionally nuzzling at his skin and lapping at the wound but otherwise leaving it be and allowing it to heal. With Sam’s advanced healing, she was sure it wouldn’t take long.

“Sorry, it was the wolf.”

“Why did you bite me?” His tone was one of curiosity as he ran his hand over the bare skin of her back, tugging the blanket a little higher because although his body temperature would keep her warm, there a chill in the air and her back was exposed. 

“You accepted,” she shrugged one shoulder.

“Accepted what?”

“Me, you accepted me as your mate. When you did that I had to mark you. Not only was it to seal the bond between us, but it was a way of warning off other females.”

He chuckled before pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “You don’t have to warn other women off, I’m yours.”

Her wolf purred in her chest and he felt her smile against his neck.

“Just as I am yours,” she hummed happily.

She burrowed her arm under him and hooked her hand over his shoulder, not bothering to move from her current position of being sprawled on top of him and he didn’t show any sign that he was uncomfortable or that he wanted her to move, so she didn’t.

“Sammy?” She murmured tiredly.

“Hmmm?”

“What’re you doing for Christmas?”

“Watching movies and eating leftovers,” he shrugged the best her could.

“Do you want to spend Christmas with me and Teddy? We’re going back to England, you could come with us.”

“I can’t leave Paul and Jared to do patrols, it wouldn’t be fair.”

“You don’t have to; we’re only going for the day. We’ll be leaving around eight o’clock in the morning and we should be back no later than nine. That’s thirteen hours at most, and you don’t patrol during those hours. I want Jared and Paul to come with us, too. I want you to meet the people I consider family. You’re my pack, I want to show them how happy I am and how happy you make me. George would love to meet you after all of the threats he made convincing me to go on our first date, I think he feels invested in our relationship,” she confessed and he chuckled. “And there’s Bill, he’s a Curse Breaker and when I was seventeen, he was attacked by a werewolf during the battle at Hogwarts when Dumbledore was killed.”

“Is he a werewolf, too?” He asked curiously.

“No, it wasn’t a full moon but he’s taken on traits. He likes his meat rare on the day of the full moon and he gets moody,” she shrugged. “Then there’s Charlie, he’s a lovable idiot, kind of like Jared. Percy would probably shake your hand and try and engage you in boring conversation about the price of cauldrons and the thickness of parchment. Mr. Weasley is obsessed with anything muggle and he’ll try and talk to you about the purpose of shoelaces or something ridiculous.” He snorted. “George _will_ prank you, there’s no doubt in that. Ron’s an arsehole and he probably won’t like you but I don’t care. And Ginny, she’s kind of feisty, had to be growing up the youngest and only girl of seven children. Mrs. Weasley will hug you to death, seriously, for such a small woman she’s unnaturally strong, she almost dislodged my spine the last time I saw her.” He laughed at her. “Of course, Kingsley will want to meet you and Headmistress McGonagall, too. In fact, what are you doing Tuesday?”

“We have a job on Monday to replace a few windows and then we’re good for Christmas, so I’m free. Why?”

“I’m going back to England for the day but the others don’t know. I’m planning to do a little Christmas shopping in Diagon Alley and Headmistress McGonagall has asked me to guest lecture on the last day of school before the students head home on the Hogwarts Express. You and the boys could come with me, Diagon Alley will be shut on Christmas Day so you won’t have the chance to see it then. I’ll have to get permission from Minerva for you to have access to the castle but it shouldn’t be a problem. What do you think? Do you want to see my old school, where I grew up?”

He smiled. He loved that she was so willing to share her life with him, to help him understand that part of her that made her so special.

“I’d love to. You don’t even have to ask Jared and Paul, you already know their answers.”

~000~000~000~

**Sunday 18th December 2005**

Hermione awoke on the chest on her mate, and when her eyes fluttered open, he was staring down at her with a small smile.

“You look comfortable,” he commented. She hummed and snuggled further into him causing him to chuckle. “Jared and Paul arrived about an hour ago, they’re in your library.”

“As long as they don’t touch any book that gives them pins and needles when they get near it, they’ll be fine.”

“Why?”

“I’ve warded the most dangerous books, the ones that make you tingle will bite, the ones that make you feel pins and needles will cause some serious harm and the ones that visibly shake or move could kill you.”

“Seriously?” He choked in surprise.

“Yes,” she answered before a sigh slipped past her lips. “I suppose we better get up and get everyone fed.”

Reluctantly, she untangled herself from him and shuffled to the end of the bed.

“Hermione, there’s something on your back,” Sam frowned.

Her eyebrow arching, she stood and crossed to the bathroom, standing before the mirror as she twisted to look behind her, her eyes widening at her reflection. On her back and travelling the length of her spine were three names written in black ink and elegant calligraphy. _Sam. Jared. Paul_.

“Okay, that’s odd,” she muttered to herself.

“Why do you have our names on your back? They weren’t there last night,” Sam asked, propping himself against the door frame of her bathroom and folding his arms over his chest, neither of them embarrassed or concerned by their current nudity.

“I’m not sure,” she nibbled her lip thoughtfully. “I’ll do some research after breakfast.”She then caught sight of her right wrist and frowned before lifting it up and showing it to Sam. His eyebrows rose and his eyes widened when he saw the black and grey Quileute tattoo that he, Paul and Jared all had on their shoulders. The mark of a shifter and protector of the Tribe.

“Now that _is_ interesting,” Hermione mused. “Anyway, I’ll figure it out after breakfast.”

Crossing over to the bathtub, she pulled the shower curtain before turning on the water, allowing it a moment to heat up.

“What’re you doing?”

“Showering, I thought that was obvious,” she shrugged, steam and heat soon filling the room. “Why, aren’t you joining me?” She asked innocently.

He didn’t need to be told twice and Hermione laughed as he attacked the back of her neck and shoulders with kisses as he joined her in the shower.

~000~000~000~

After exiting the bathroom, Hermione dried herself and dressed in a pair of skinny jeans, black knee-high boots and a black cashmere jumper and when she came out of her closet, she reached for her wand, casting a Cleaning Charm over Sam’s clothes.

“What was that?” He asked, referring to the glow.

“Cleaning Charm, gotta love magic,” she grinned.

He snorted before dressing and they both headed downstairs, Hermione moving to the kitchen to prepare for breakfast and Sam retrieved the boys from the library, Paul with Teddy in his arms as they laughed as Teddy changed his hair from grey, to black, to white, to pink.

“I love this kid,” Paul commented joyfully and Hermione smiled.

“Get in line,” she replied.

“So, why’d you sleep so late?” Paul took a seat at the breakfast bar, a smirk on his mouth as though he knew _exactly_ why.

“I think you know very well why I slept so late, and if you keep going I’ll be very graphic,” she warned, pointing her knife towards him. He grimaced and the others snorted. “That’s what I thought.”

“So, Paul, Jared, what are you doing Tuesday?” Hermione asked as they made a start on eating from the plates of food Hermione had just placed before them.

“Why?” They chorused, eyeing her warily.

“Well, Sam’s told me that you don’t have any work and I thought you might like to come with me to England for the day. I need to go to Diagon Alley and get some Christmas shopping done, and I need to stock up on potion ingredients and the best quality are bought from Diagon Alley.”

“We get to see your world?” Jared asked excitedly.

Hermione nodded with a smile. “Yes, better yet, I’ve been asked to guest lecture at Hogwarts before the students go home for the holidays. You get to see the castle I grew up in. I can introduce you to the portraits, to the ghosts, to...”

“Ghosts are real?” Paul interrupted.

“Yes, and so are giants, centaurs, mermaids, hippogriffs, dragons, twenty foot long snakes, griffins, giant squids, veelas, acromantulas, unicorns...” she trailed off at their surprised expressions and she laughed. “I can introduce you to Hagrid, he’s a half-giant and a very sweet man, he’s the game’s keeper and the care of magical creatures professor. The Giant Squid lives in the Black Lake and it loves to play fetch. There’s also mermaids in the Black Lake, but they’re not what you think they are, I promise. We have acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest, they’re essentially _giant_ spiders, bigger than your wolf form.” They shivered and she nodded in agreement. “Centaurs and unicorns live in the Forbidden Forest, too, along with a myriad of other creatures, it’s why the forest is out of bounds to students. Anyway, would you like to come with me?” They nodded, giving her an expression that all but said she was stupid for even having to ask. “Great, we’ll have to leave early in the morning, around eight, Minerva’s scheduled for me to be at Hogwarts for half one, that doesn’t give us a lot of time to get around Diagon Alley. What are you doing Christmas Day?”

Paul shrugged. “Nothing, Dad’ll be pissed off his head,” he said bitterly. Hermione scowled at the news.

“Jared?”

“Mom’s visiting my uncle in Houston, it’s just me,” he shrugged.

“Great, you’re coming with Teddy, Sam and I to England for a traditional Weasley Christmas. No ifs, ands or buts. They’ll be arguing, yelling, snowball fights, George pranking everyone and most likely a food fight.” They beamed at her for wishing to include them in her plans for the holidays but they supposed they shouldn’t have expected anything less.

When their plates were empty, she piled the dishes and set them in the sink before offering them each a biscuit which they all accepted but at seeing the far too innocent smile on Hermione’s face, Sam hesitated in eating his and with good reason, it would seem. As Paul made to take a bite, Jared gave a sudden cry as yellow feathers grew on his body, his nose morphed into a beak, his arms turned to wings and talons grew from his feet. He opened his mouth to speak but all he managed was a squawk until coughed up feathers.

Their eyes darted between Jared’s new form and Hermione’s too sweet smile, horrified whilst Teddy laughed and applauded. A few minutes later, the spell work faded and Jared returned to normal, his eyes wide and staring at Hermione fearfully.

“ _What_ the hell was that?” He whispered.

“That was a Canary Cream,” she answered. “it’s one of the twins’ inventions and one of their more popular prank products. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes is the number one magical jokes shop in Europe. George is doing very well for himself, he’s a pranking genius. In their final year, he and Fred created a group of products called Skiving Snackboxes.”

“What do they do?” Paul asked intrigued.

“They get you out of classes for the rest of the day. Nosebleed Nougats, Fainting Fancies, Puking Pastilles and Fever Fudge, they do exactly as they’re named, except the effect wears off once you’ve taken the antidote and by then you’ve already been excused.”

“That’s genius,” he muttered in awe.

She nodded proudly. “You’d be surprised by how advanced and difficult they are to produce. Fred once showed me the recipe and instructions; I got a headache just looking at it. Anyway, the point of that demonstration was to show you why you should never accept anything George Weasley may offer you. He once gave me a Sugar Quill since he knows they’re my favourite wizarding candy, he turned me blue for two days, I looked like a smurf.” They laughed at her. “And he once gave a box of chocolates to Harry knowing that if Ronald found them, he’d eat them, which he did. George had coated every chocolate in Flatulence Potion, you can imagine how that day went.” They laughed louder when she grimaced. “My all-time favourite prank of the twins was my fifth year, the day they dropped out of school, in fact, I think it’s best if I show you, it’s too good not to share.”

She pulled her wand from her pocket and put it to her temple and when she pulled it away, the white mist followed the wand and she flicked it into the middle of the room, a large screen appearing, laughter soon filling the house as they watched the impressive fireworks display and the dragon that had chased Umbridge from the room.

“That’s brilliant,” Jared exclaimed in awe.

“Fireworks were impressive, too,” Sam commented.

“The Weasley Twins were anything but simple,” she smiled. “I can’t wait to see George’s firework display this year, he does two, one for Christmas and the other for New Year’s. Wizarding fireworks are amazing, far more impressive than Muggle. You can make them into any shape you want, some even make sound whilst others move, as you saw. Not only did the dragon roar, it released flames from its mouth.”

“I actually can’t wait to meet him,” Jared grinned.

Hermione groaned, dropping her head into her hands. “What am I doing? Introducing a budding prankster to the King of Pranks. There’s something wrong with me,” she groaned as Jared grinned and Sam and Paul snorted, the forming reaching out to sympathetically pat her on the shoulder.

~000~000~000~

“Have you found anything?” Sam asked as he entered the library with Teddy perched on his hip, his eyes darting about the room. No matter how many times he’d been in there, he was still amazed by how many books Hermione owned.

The colour palette was white and mint green with two floor to ceiling bookcases on the right and back wall, and three differently sized bookcases on the other wall, accommodating to the windows. The bookcases were made of a dark wood, matching the round table in the centre of the room which was surrounded by two white couches and several bean bags. Hermione had explained that there were more books than there appeared to be as she’d placed Enlargement Charms on the bookcases, which contained close to five thousand books. They’d stared at her in silence, being too surprised to respond. How someone Hermione’s age had managed to procure a collection so big was beyond them. 

His eyes darted to Hermione seeing her being curled up on the couch, her feet tucked beneath her as a book rested in her lap and Paul and Jared were occupying the couch opposite, Jared slumped in his seat with a book held before him and Paul with his legs flung over the armrest and his feet almost touching the floor, a book propped up on his legs.

“I have actually; I think I know why it’s happened,” she replied.

“What happened?” Jared frowned in confusion, pulling his eyes from his book and darting them between Sam and Hermione.

Hermione shrugged before putting her book off to the side and then standing, putting her back to them before she lifted the hem of her jumper to show her newly acquired tattoos following the length of her spine.

“Err, why do you have our names _tattooed_ on you?” Paul questioned, his eyebrow cocked in amusement.

“It’s not just your names,” she spoke, turning to face them and then lifting her sleeve to show the Quileute tattoo on her right wrist. They tipped their heads in confusion. “We noticed them this morning, it’s what I’ve been researching all morning and now I think I know.”

“So, what is it?” Sam asked, moving to sit on the couch with her, Teddy on his lap and tugging on his hair, changing his own to match Sam’s.

“It’s happened because I’m the Alpha Female,” she shrugged. They raised their eyebrows. They did this a lot, she realised. “For there to be Alpha Females in a werewolf pack is exceptionally rare, seeing as most werewolves don’t find their mates there is usually only the Alpha Male. When there is an Alpha Female, there’s a bond that’s formed between her and the rest of the pack. With her mate, she will have the expected bond of being _mates_ but with the rest of the pack, she will become whatever they need her to be, similar to an imprint but without the romantic entanglements. If you need me to be a friend then I’ll be that, if you want me as your sister, I’ll be that, too and it’s the same with being a mother, particularly with the younger pups, case and point Teddy,” she tipped her head towards him. “I’ll care for you and protect you in any way that I can. I’ll die for you and I’ll kill for you. The appearance of your names on my body represents our bond and it binds the pack together as one unit,” she said softly and they looked at her surprised but happy with the news. “As for the Quileute Tribal tattoo on my wrist, you all have one signalling your ability to shape-shift and to protect your land and Tribe. I am now officially a member of this pack, the Alpha Female and technically, as a werewolf, I’m a shape-shifter, too. I may only change once a month but I still have my magical abilities and so I’ve now got the tattoo to match yours, signifying my joining of the pack.”

“That’s awesome,” Paul grinned and she laughed at him.

“From what I’ve read, my magic should’ve changed, too.”

“How so?” Sam asked intrigued.

“My magic should be more potent, powerful, but I can’t test that theory here, I’ll have to do it at Hogwarts. I’ll have the means there and I won’t run the risk of accidentally hurting someone if my magic goes awry. I’ll speak to Severus and Minerva, see what they say on the matter,” she shrugged, reaching out to ruffle Teddy’s dark hair before she stood and left the library, needing to make a start on lunch.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 11

**Monday 19th December 2005**

Hermione was nervous. In fact, nervous was an understatement, she was _terrified_. Not only was she meeting the Council to the Tribe but she was meeting several members from the Reserve. Aside from the boys and Billy Black, she hadn't really spoken to anyone since her moving to La Push. There was the odd greeting at the supermarket and passing in the street, she hadn't exchanged names or conversation with anyone else.

She was worried they wouldn't like her because she was an _outsider_ , but if the Council had allowed her to buy property on their land, it couldn't be that bad, could it?

She groaned and threw her hairbrush across the room in frustration, it bouncing off the wall and landing on the dark carpeted floor. Her hair was being a nightmare, looking very much a though it were about to attack her. Hearing her huffs and muttered curses, Sam popped his head inside her closet, his eyes widening slightly.

"How's it so big in here?" He asked surprised, gesturing around the room that had to be the same size as her living room. What he was seeing was impossible.

"Magic," she muttered as she glared at herself in the mirror.

Sam chuckled before stepping inside and approaching, wrapping his arms around her from behind and tugging her to lean against him.

"What's wrong?"

She folded her arms over her chest, glared at her reflection and much to his amusement, she was pouting. Pouting!

"My hair's being a nightmare; it won't go right, it looks like it's going to kill me, I've seen poodles with better hair than mine!"

He laughed at her loudly and she scowled at him. "There's nothing wrong with your hair, I love that it's so untameable, so wild, a perfect representation of you," he kissed her cheek and she sighed, melting into his touch.

"I still hate it," she muttered childishly and he chuckled.

"Well, I love it, why're you worrying so much?"

"I want to make a good impression. I've only met Billy and I'm already going to be out of my comfort zone. I'm not a very sociable person, years of bullying have made me that way."

"Hermione, they'll _love_ you, how can they not? Just be yourself and you'll have nothing to worry about. That goes for your hair, too, leave it the way it is."

"I can't," she shook her head, several strands falling into her face and she huffed in annoyance, trying to blow the free.

"You can," he assured her, sweeping her curls over her shoulder and placing butterfly kisses in its place along with a few little nips and she sighed happily. "Leave your hair the way it is, please," he whispered.

"Fine," she grumbled.

He kissed her cheek and smiled. "You look beautiful."

"You're biased," she argued.

He chuckled. "Yes, I am," he agreed, "But you _do_ look beautiful."

Her eyes fluttered open, scrutinising her appearance for the final time. She wore black skinny jeans with black leather knee-high boots, her white blouse was tucked into her jeans and buttoned up just above her breasts, the first couple unfastened and she wore a knee-length, grey woollen cardigan. Her curls hung down her back in a tangle of ringlets since she'd refused to use magic to subdue them, wanting to do it the muggle way but she'd given up on the attempt.

"Is Teddy ready?"

"Paul and Jared have dressed him."

Hermione chuckled. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you boys."

He smiled at her before taking her hand and leading her out of the closet and down the stairs to where Paul and Jared were waiting for them along with Teddy.

Teddy was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and a warm jumper with his winter coat on, his hat, scarf and gloves and he didn't look happy with the numerous layers. Paul and Jared both wore trainers, jeans and a hooded jumper, similar to what Sam was wearing. She knew they wouldn't feel the cold as she and Teddy would but they had to avoid suspicion. She debated casting Warming Charms but soon decided against it as they'd have to continuously cast and she wasn't sure she could do it with people around bearing witness to magic.

"Is everyone ready?" She asked, receiving nods of confirmation. "How are we getting there? Are we driving or do you want to use magical transportation?"

"As appealing as magical transportation sounds, we'll have to drive, it'd be suspicious otherwise," Sam replied.

"We'll need a car seat for Teddy then," she frowned in thought before turning and wandering to the kitchen, picking up a stool and moving it back over to them.

"What're you doing?" Jared asked, arching his eyebrow as she pulled her wand and a concentrated frown settled on her face.

"You'll see," was all as she said, waving her wand in intricate patterns and muttering a spell under her breath, the stool quickly transforming into a car seat.

"What was that?"

"Transfiguration, it's a mandatory subject at Hogwarts, most employers like you to have it under your belt when you graduate."

"Your grade?" Paul asked amused.

"An O,"

"O?" He repeated confused.

"We have a different grading system. Outstanding, Exceeding Expectations, Acceptable, Poor, Dreadful and Troll." They snorted, well, that was certainly different than what they were used to. "Anything less than an Acceptable is basically a fail and you either repeat the subject or you're forced to drop it. Outstanding is equivalent to an A-Plus." They rolled their eyes good-naturedly. "You graduate with a Diploma, we graduate with separate grades. I took my NEWTs out of school since I was doing my Masters at the same time."

"And they are?" Sam questioned.

"Exams, in our fifth year we do OWLs, Ordinary Wizarding Levels, and the grade you get determines whether you can continue with the subject. In our final year, we do NEWTs, Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. I did twelve subjects, got an Outstanding in all of them," she shrugged. They give a look, one that was of surprise but not at the same time.

Reaching for the car seat, she exited the house and locked up after they followed her before she strapped the car set into the back of Sam's truck. After ensuring Teddy was appropriately restrained, she climbed into the passenger's side whilst Paul and Jared took seats in the back, fastening their seatbelts under Hermione's watchful glare and refusing to allow Sam to drive before they'd done so.

"What subjects are you taught at magic school?" Jared asked, his hand being held by Teddy's as the little boy fiddled with his fingers.

"The subjects have changed over the centuries, some being discontinued and others added to the curriculum. When I was at Hogwarts there were thirteen subjects teen in total, I took all of them in my third year but I dropped one because I hated it and my professor was a fraud. All students take mandatory lessons until third year and then we pick our electives, most take five or six subjects in total, I took twelve."

"Subjects?"

"Well, you have the mandatory subjects of transfiguration, charms, potions, defence against the dark arts, astronomy, herbology, history of magic and there's flying lessons for first years. I barely passed that class, I _hated_ it," her expression appeared nauseous for a moment and they snorted. "You can probably guess what those classes involve. Then there's the electives. Arithmancy, which is using advanced maths and variables to predict several outcomes."

"Predicting the future?" Paul laughed.

"Yes, and it works, as does astronomy, centaurs use the stars to see what will happen in the future. There's Ancient Runes, which is basically looking at old languages, symbols and spells and translating them into modern language and learning how to create your own spells. And there's Divination," she added with a scowl. "I _hated_ it, the professor was a con. It's basically predicting the future; glass balls, palm reading, tea leaves, tarot cards, all that bullshit." They snorted. "Literally every lesson she told Harry he was going to die, a crackpot if I ever did see one, she made Mad-Eye Moody look sane, and he's named _Mad_ -Eye Moody!" She exclaimed, waving her hands and they laughed at her. "There's care of magical creatures which pretty self-explanatory and finally, muggle studies, in which wizards and witches study muggle traditions and learn about their ways and technology in order to better understand them."

"Why would _you_ take muggle studies? You grew up with non-magical parents," Jared's brow furrowed, puzzled by the notion.

"True, I _was_ raised in the Muggle World but it was fascinating learning how wizards perceived muggles." They rolled their eyes at her. "What?"

"Nothing," they chorused and she narrowed her eyes suspiciously but didn't comment.

"Will we see aspects of these different lessons when we go with you?" Jared asked.

"I don't see why not," she shrugged. "We won't have long in Diagon Alley if you want a tour of the castle as well but I suppose we could always return to Diagon Alley at a later date," she mused.

"We're here," Sam spoke, pulling up behind another parked car and she groaned, seeing the number of cars already parked. "You'll be fine," Sam spoke softly, giving her hand a squeeze before climbing out of the truck.

"How the hell do you open this thing?" Paul grumbled in annoyance, his hands struggling with the restraints on the car seat and she turned to see Teddy giggling whilst Jared stood off to the side with Sam, both looking amused.

"I'll do it," she spoke, getting out of the truck and moving to the back, opening the door and quickly undoing the restraints and setting Teddy on her hip, Paul scowling childishly at how easily she'd done it. "Okay, pack meeting," she said, seeing their amused glances before they gathered around her. "A reminder, we have to keep an eye on Teddy, this is a new environment for him and even though he's with us, he may feel uncomfortable so don't be surprised if he latches onto you and won't let go. Also, when he's with either of us, you have to watch for his Metamorphmagus abilities, he could do it at any time. If you think he's going to change his appearance, distract him, you all know the signs."

"Relax, Hermione," Paul chuckled, plucking Teddy from her arms and setting him on his hip as he reached up and tugged at his hair. "We'll keep an eye out and we won't let him use his abilities."

"You mean like that?" Hermione questioned innocently.

Paul's eyes darted down to Teddy, his eyes widening at the sight of his short black hair and dark brown eyes.

"Okay, in my defence, he's sneaky," he commented, the others chuckling as she rolled her eyes.

"Teddy, you have to be careful, these people don't know about magic. They wouldn't understand how special you are, not like we do. You can't do your special tricks, okay?" She said softly. He looked upset but his hair and eyes changed back to his usual sandy-blonde and his grass-green orbs. "Good boy," she praised, leaning over to kiss his cheek until he smiled.

"Are you ready?" Sam asked her.

"No," she answered automatically and they snorted.

"We won't let anything happen to you," Jared promised, slipping his arm her shoulders. Sam didn't growl, he didn't make a comment and he didn't move. He barely batted an eyelash and at this, Paul and Jared arched an eyebrow at his sudden behaviour change.

"He doesn't feel the need to warn off other males, well, you at least, since I'm not only bonded to him but I'm bonded to you as well. His wolf knows that we're all pack but that I'm his. He now understands that you don't want me as anything other than a friend, sister or mother," she shrugged.

"Good, it means if I accidentally bump into you he won't try to kill me," Jared commented and they snorted.

"Come on, they're waiting for us," Sam said, tipping his head towards the road.

"Awesome," she muttered.

"We'll speak to Billy first, he mentioned that he wanted to speak with you before we introduced you to everyone else."

They began walking down the pathway, Hermione's hand held by Sam, Jared's arm around her shoulders and Paul walked beside Sam with Teddy in his hold.

"Merlin's Balls!" Hermione cursed suddenly, halting to a stop.

" _What_ was that?" Jared laughed.

"Oh, shut up," she scowled. "It's how we magical folk curse. George says Merlin's Saggy Y-Fronts, Charlie says Merlin's Left Testicle and Ronald says Merlin's Saggy Buttcheeks," she told them, laughter falling from them as she huffed in annoyance.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, being the first to calm himself.

"I left the cookies at home." She darted a glance around her surroundings before she pulled her wand from her boot and waved it, three large tins of cookies appearing before her before she slipped her wand away and gathered them in her arms. "I wasn't sure how many people would be here so I made one hundred."

They blinked before snorting and Paul said, "More than enough."

"Not when you take into account Teddy, the werewolf and the three shape-shifting wolves," she argued. "I see your point," Jared nodded, guiding her forward along the path. "What did you make?"

"Our favourites, peanut butter, chocolate chip, oatmeal, caramel, and chocolate and banana."

"Only you could enjoy a cookie with fruit in it," Paul commented.

"Have you tried them before? No? Exactly, shut up."

Sam and Jared shared an amused glance over the top of Hermione's head as she and Paul soon began their bickering, something they did often but Hermione always came out on top. They'd once seen it last for an entire day and luckily they were cut short as they arrived at the destination, seeing the huge bonfire made entirely of wood and already alight with bright, glowing flames. Several logs and stumps surrounded the bonfire with blankets and cushions thrown on the floor or covering them and a grouping of tables were off to the side, filled with food and beverages. But Hermione seeing the number of people present froze in her steps before Sam and Jared tugged her forward.

"Billy first, then introductions," Sam said quietly and she nodded slowly as they directed her towards Billy, the older Councilman smiling widely and motioning for them to approach him.

He was already sat by the bonfire along with two other men and Hermione was quick to notice that many of the people that were present looked to be slighter younger than her and they were _all_ boys except for the two women. All conversations around them stopped, their eyes tracking their movement as they approached the three Councilmen.

"Hermione," Billy greeted warmly. Hermione handed the cookie tins to Sam before she bent slightly at the waist, hugging Billy and kissing his cheek before drawing back and rising to full height. "It's good to see you."

"And you as well, Billy. Sam said that you wished to speak with me."

"I do, I would like to introduce you to the Council, this is Quil Ateara III and Harry Clearwater."

Hermione turned her body towards the two men, offering them her full attention. One looked far older than the other with russet skin and many a wrinkle, dark eyes covered by thin-rimmed glasses and long grey hair. He, too, was sat in a wheelchair and had a blanket draped over his lap. The other man looked to be in his fifties, his long black hair with a fair few greying strands, dark brown eyes and he was sat on a tree stump, his hands stuffed into his coat pockets.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I don't know how to thank you for letting me purchase the property on First Beach."

"There is no thanks necessary, Miss. Granger, for all that you have done for this world, for all you have suffered and sacrificed, for all the lives that you have saved, it only seemed fair that we offer you the property," Harry Clearwater smiled kindly but her eyes widened.

"Yes, it was the least we could do," Quil agreed, his voice held a slight tremor. Hermione spluttered and they looked amused.

"You told them?" Hermione whisper-hissed to the three shifters but they shook their heads in denial, looking equally as surprised.

"I told them, Hermione," Billy drew their attention. "Growing up I had a friend that was a Muggleborn wizard. He was originally born in England and he returned before he attended Hogwarts. He often wrote and visited during the holidays but after the end of the war, he returned and we spoke in great detail about Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. He showed me newspaper clippings of yourself and Mr. Potter and he made mention of you being a recipient of a medal."

Three pairs of eyes snapped to her in surprise and intrigue, given she'd never mentioned such a thing.

"Yes, I was awarded an Order of Merlin: First Class," she admitted, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. "It's err... Well, it's the magical equivalent to a Medal of Honour."

She heard their noises of surprise and Billy beamed in pride. "The moment I saw you I knew it was you but I had to be sure." She blinked in surprise. "When young Sam informed us of his imprinting on you, I was beyond pleased to bring such a strong, caring woman into our Tribe. You will bring great things to this Tribe. Great things, indeed. I, of course, quickly informed Harry and Quil of your situation."

Hermione's eyes flickered over to them.

"Not to worry, Young Warrior, not to worry," Harry chuckled. "It is an honour to have you as a member of our Tribe."

"Not just a member of the Tribe," Sam spoke, drawing their attention. "Show them," he spoke softly, encouraging her.

She gingerly lifted her right sleeve to show them her Tribal tattoo and their expressions of surprise weren't missed.

"I woke up to this, I didn't do it of my free will," she explained quickly. "But there is something you need to know," she whispered.

"Speak freely, you will not be judged here," Harry spoke kindly.

"A month after the Final Battle, I was attacked by two werewolves. I fought them off as best I could but they overpowered me, one fully transformed werewolf alone is difficult to defend against, let alone two. They bit me," she whispered. "I am a werewolf. In the Wizarding World, werewolves are despised, there are laws against us preventing us from having basic human rights. It doesn't matter that I'm a beloved War Heroine, the public would soon turn on me and my life would be over if anyone were to find out."

Their eyes darted over her appraisingly.

"Are you a threat to this Tribe?" Billy asked, not looking surprised by what she'd revealed but she supposed it wasn't all that different to their own legends of shifters.

"No, I only go through the change once a month. I'll admit that on the day of the full moon, I do become rather _temperamental._ "

Paul snorted. "That's putting it lightly. Remember that day in the diner, Billy? PMS my ass..." He trailed off at her glare, promptly turning his attention Teddy, tickling him until he squealed in delight.

"During the night of the full moon, I'm able to use magic to create a series of barriers that lock me in the woods with a five mile radius, preventing humans from entering and me from leaving. I'm only able to leave through the barriers once I have changed back into my human form, and only when I am collected," she said quietly, looking down at the floor.

"We can vouch for that," Jared interrupted and they turned their eyes to him. "During our patrol on the night of the full moon we heard screaming and we followed it to her. We watched her transformation," he muttered, the three shifters sporting matching grim, pain-filled expressions. "We couldn't leave her and after Sam asserted his dominance over her as the Alpha, she made herself familiar with our scents and she spent most of the night chasing us and play fighting. She couldn't leave past five miles, every time she tried she was flung back. She eventually fell asleep and didn't wake until she went through the change again. As long as she's barricaded in she's _not_ a threat to anyone."

"We've decided that at least one of us will be with her during the full moon to keep her company. Jared's been doing some research from her magical books in her library. If a werewolf doesn't have company or a pack they become stressed and they turn to self-harm. I can't allow that to happen," Sam spoke.

"Of course you can't, she's your imprint," Billy spoke with a smile.

"Sam's my mate," Hermione spoke and their attention was back on her.

"I'm sorry?"

"In my world werewolves have mates, kind of like imprinting, it's just as rare. I recognised Sam as my mate the day before the last full moon. He accepted me as his mate the night before last and I marked him as my mate and we are bonded. As a result, I'm bonded to Jared and Paul also."

"How so?" Harry asked intrigued.

"When I woke this morning, I had the Tribal tattoo on my wrist but I also have Sam, Jared and Paul's names tattooed on my spine. After some research, I've determined that it's a sign of the pack bond. Alpha Female werewolves are rare and when one does occur, a bond is formed with the entire pack. My tattoos indicate the relationship between my packmates. To Sam, I am his mate, to Paul and Jared, I am their mother, sister and friend, anything that they require of me I will be to make them happy. I would kill to protect them and I would die for them," she spoke clearly and with determination.

"It is an honour to welcome a young warrior such as yourself into the Quileute Tribe and pack," Billy spoke.

"How will your being a werewolf affect future generations?" Quil asked her with narrowed eyes. He had so many wrinkles they seemed to swallow them whole and found it difficult to pinpoint his gaze.

"It won't, lycanthropy isn't a hereditary condition; you can only obtain it through being bitten or deeply scratched on the full moon. Teddy is my Godson," she gestured to the laughing boy in Paul's arms, now being tickled by Jared and their mouths tugged into small smiles. "His parents were truly wonderful and brave people, Nymphadora and Remus Lupin. They both died during the Final Battle, a vampire and werewolf attack. I adopted him after his Grandmother died of cancer a couple of months ago. Remus was a werewolf himself, he was bitten when he was only four-years-old. Teddy is living proof that lycanthropy isn't heredity and whilst he isn't a werewolf he does have the ability to sense when other wolves are nearby. Teddy won't allow anyone but me and his Godfather, Harry Potter, to hold him, yet he allows Paul, Jared and Sam to. He recognises them as his pack and so he's comfortable around them, I think he knew long before I did. Teddy's a wizard but he's also a shape-shifter."

"A wolf? You said that he didn't have lycanthropy," Quil frowned.

"He doesn't, he inherited his shape-shifting abilities from his mother. His mother was a Metamorphmagus, it's a very rare magical talent in which the witch or wizard can change their appearance at will but sometimes their emotions take control. May I show you?"

"Of course," Billy smiled.

Without needing to be told, Paul handed Teddy over to Hermione. "Hey, Teddy, I know I said you couldn't do your special trick but you can do it just this once. This is Billy, Mr. Quil and Mr. Harry, they're special people too and they know about magic. So, you can do your trick for them."

He looked up at her with grass-green eyes and Hermione looked around to make sure no one could see and three shape-shifters surrounded her, blocking all sight. Hermione crouched down before Billy and she nodded to Teddy, the little boy slowly reaching out to touch his long hair. Before their eyes his tanned skin changed to a russet tone, his eyes changed to dark brown and his hair went from messy blonde to long and black. They muttered in surprise as Hermione praised Teddy and kissed his cheek as he returned to his natural appearance.

"Good boy, and no more until we get you home," Hermione told Teddy before passing him to Jared.

"Amazing, incredible," Billy muttered.

"Yes, he is. It's difficult with him being so young and we have to watch him when we're in public but the boys are helping to keep things under wraps. As for your question about children, any children that are born from me will _not_ be werewolves but they will definitely be witches or wizards, whereas Sam's children will have the gene for shape-shifting. Where the gene for shape-shifting might not present itself for a lack of vampires, magic will certainly be present, though the magic gene may offset the shape-shifting gene, forcing them to phase without the presence of a vampire needed but we can't be sure since you've never had a member with magical capabilities such as myself and Teddy," Hermione explained.

"You are bringing a line of magic into our Tribe?" Harry asked.

"Yes, an unpolluted line of magic that should be strong and healthy." They shared a glance, looking surprised but pleased.

"One last question before we allow you your introductions," Quil spoke. "Vampires?"

Without warning, a feral growl ripped from her throat and her eyes flashed amber, the three elder men flinching back in surprise.

"I _hate_ them," she growled. Sam placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed and she took a deep breath, her tone calm but cold. "My fiancé, he was a good man and he was protecting the lives of three children that had gotten caught in the Final Battle, he was attacked by a vampire and I was twenty feet away as I watched him being torn apart." Their expressions softened and saddened. "That same vampire killed one of my professors, two of my friends and one of my classmates and that's only what I witnessed. I assure you, if a vampire so much as thinks about stepping foot on Quileute land, they'll be in ashes within the blink of an eye."

They stared silently before smiles soon appeared.

"Hermione Granger," Quil spoke, her eyes turning to him and he watched mesmerised as her amber eyes glowed brightly. He gestured for her to kneel on the ground in front of him and although she was puzzled by the request, she did so, placing her hands in his when he held them out expectantly. "Hermione Granger, you are a protector, a fighter, a survivor, a warrior. You will bring magic, peace, courage and success to the Quileute Tribe. I hereby name you as a member and protector of the Quileute Tribe and Wolf Pack." He shakily leaned forward and kissed both her cheeks and then her forehead before pulling back and smiling down at her. "You are everything we could hope for in a protector of our Tribe and I feel resolute in my decision to trust you with the safety and secrets of our Tribe."

Hermione's eyes slowly returned to her usual chocolate brown, all traces of amber gone and she looked to a beaming Billy and Harry and she smiled in return.

"Thank you, Mr. Ateara. I'll do my best to protect the people and land, as well as the pack and that includes from themselves."

"Such a mother hen," Jared muttered until Hermione glared at him and he promptly put his attention back on Teddy. The Councilmen chuckled at her as she silently rose to her feet and brushed down her jeans for dirt or grass.

She turned to Sam who was smiling at her softly before he kissed her cheek and his thumb ran over her cheekbone, Hermione leaning onto his warm touch and smiling up at him.

"Just out of curiosity, how long have you known the identity of the wolves?" Billy asked.

"I knew about shape-shifters protecting your land and Tribe before I moved here. You see, since shape-shifters are magical beings they belong to my world and when a witch or wizard is born, the files at our government are automatically updated. When Sam, Jared and Paul phased for the first time, the American Ministry of Magic was alerted. As a result, an employee from the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures was dispatched in order to observe the wolves. After a week of observations and witnessing the wolves killing one vampire, the American Ministry of Magic has deemed them not a threat to human life. Any shape-shifter to emerge from this Tribe will be recorded on file but they'll be left alone and without interference. They can live in peace. For confidentiality reasons, I was not shown the identities of the shape-shifters, just the report."

"Your world is aware of us?" His brow furrowed.

"Yes, this Tribe is not the only one to have shape-shifters in their lineage; there are shape-shifters all around the world, though they may not be wolves, I know there's a Tribe in South Africa that has been known to have members that can shape-shift into bears, and another Tribe in Asia can shape-shift into foxes. But as I said, you will receive no interference from the Ministry. It's as if you don't exist and unless someone goes looking for a specific file, no one will know about you," she shrugged. "I have known Sam, Jared and Paul to be the wolves since the day after my first full moon here. There were too many oddities to take into account and when I ran into Sam in the woods, everything clicked into place. I was dropping hints for a month."

"We know, frightened them something awful," Billy laughed along with Hermione as the boys grumbled.

"Now, Young Ones, introduce the newest member of our Tribe," Quill spoke.

They smiled before turning around, noticing that everyone was staring at them in shock, obviously having seen the scene play out between Hermione and Quil Ateara III.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 12

  
**Monday 19th December 2005**

“Everyone’s staring,” Hermione whispered, her eyes wide in horror and embarrassment.

Paul snorted. “You don’t say.”

Without looking, Hermione’s hand came up and slapped over the back of the head and he winced and scowled down at her whilst Teddy giggled and clapped.

“Traitor!” Paul gasped, plucking Teddy from Jared’s arms and tickling him, it drawing her attention long enough to pull a smile from her.

“Let’s get this over with, I already feel on the verge of having a panic attack. There’s too many people for my liking,” she muttered.

“You went to a boarding school, there were people there all the time and far more than there are here,” Jared said amused.

“Yes, people that I knew or avoided, I didn’t have to interact with them unless I wanted to,” she argued. “Besides, the last time I was around a large group of people I was fighting for my life and the time after that I was being stalked by the press,” she muttered bitterly.

“We’ll take those over to the table,” Jared said, taking the cookie tins from Sam.

“If you eat more than one on your way over there, you’ll be getting hexed.”

Fear spiked through him and he gave a nervous laugh before turning and all but running away from her, Sam chuckled and Paul laughed loudly as he followed after him with Teddy in his arms.

“Let’s start with the boys,” Sam spoke suggested, taking her hand in his, bending long enough to kiss her cheek and then dragging her forward as she tried to dig her heels into the ground. As they approached the three teenage boys they all watched him apprehensively but his eyes were solely focused on Jacob Black. “Boys,” Sam’s baritone voice spoke, the three teenagers flinching back. Hermione frowned; she didn’t like that reaction. “This is Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is Jacob Black.” Hermione’s eyes turned to him, seeing he stood at five-foot-seven with long black hair much like the rest of the men from the Tribes and he had russet skin and dark brown eyes. “This is Embry Call,” Sam introduced, Hermione’s eyes moving to see that he was taller than Jacob, standing at five-foot-eleven with long black hair, brown eyes and russet skin. “And this is Quil Ateara V,” Hermione’s eyes turned to the final teen, seeing him standing at five-foot-eight with long black hair, brown eyes and russet skin. They all wore trainers, jeans and thick jumpers with winter coats and hats.

“It’s nice to meet you, boys,” Hermione smiled kindly. They seemed to relax a little but she noticed they shifted on their feet uncomfortably. They were intimidated by Sam.

“Sammy, do you mind checking on the boys for me, I’ve no doubt they’re stuffing their faces with those cookies I made.”

He snorted. “They probably are,” he agreed. “Are you going to be alright?” She nodded with a smile and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “I’ll be over there if you need me,” he told her before turning and jogging over to the Paul and Jared.

“Are you intimidated by Sam?” She asked the three teens, seeing the instant relaxing of their posture. Their eyes darted to each other and then back to her.

“It’s hard not to be, considering the rumours,” Quil spoke nervously, looking around him as if Sam was going to creep up behind him.

“Rumours?” Hermione’s brow furrowed.

“He’s the leader of a gang, he lords his weight around...” His speech halted when Hermione fell into laughter, the three teens looking at her as if she were crazy.

“I’m sorry for laughing,” she said, giving a slight shake of her head. “I assure you, there’s nothing to be afraid of in Sam. He’s the kindest man I’ve ever met,” she said fondly. “He’s a hard worker and he goes out of his way to help me. Does that look like a bully, a leader of a gang to you?” She gestured with her head and they twisted to look behind them, seeing Sam tickling Teddy and laughing as Jared tripped Paul over until he face planted the ground. They turned back to her, their expressions blank. “That’s what I thought, you don’t have to be afraid of him, I mean look at me. He towers over me by an entire foot and he’s about as intimidating as a dolphin.”

“What did my Grandfather say to you?” Quil asked, his head tilted slightly and his eyes scrutinising. “I’ve _never_ seen him like that with anyone.”

She smiled at him. “He welcomed me into your Tribe.”

“What did you do for him to do that? An outsider has never been welcomed into the Tribe before.”

“You wouldn’t believe me, if I told you,” she sighed, her head tipping to the side slightly as her eyes slowly travelled the length of each of them. She couldn’t describe it but she a feeling, a strange humming in her magic, it was almost as if it were trying to tell her something but when she heard Teddy’s call of her name followed by a squeal, she turned to see him running over to her on unsteady feet. “Excuse me,” she said, barley waiting for them to nod before she turned on her heel and met halfway, hearing one of them whisper a ‘she’s hot!’

Halting in her steps, she crouched down and opened her arms wide just as Teddy stumbled into her, almost knocking her off her feet. Laughing, she scooped him up against her before she pressed kisses to his cheeks, laughter peeling from him as he couldn’t decide whether to hold her tighter or push her away from him.

“He’s fast for a little thing.”

Hermione’s head lifted to a see young teen stood before her at five-foot-seven, his skin russet, his black hair falling to his shoulders, a boyish smile on his face and his eyes a kind hazel. He had the kindest eyes she’d ever seen in a person.

“He’s a handful alright,” she replied, rising to full height and shifting Teddy to her hip. “I’m Hermione,” she introduced, holding her free hand out to him and he shook it.

“Seth, it’s ‘bout time I met you, I’ve seen you around the beach a few times.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you,” she smiled.

“Who’s this?” He asked waved to Teddy.

“This is Teddy, my Godson,” she smiled down at the little boy on her hip. He smiled at Teddy kindly but he clung to her tightly and buried his face in her neck shyly. “Don’t take it personally; he isn’t comfortable around people he’s never met before.”

“Understandable,” he shrugged. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to my sister and mom.”

He didn’t give her the chance to decline his offer as he turned and led her in the direction of the only two other women present. One looked to be in her fifties with long black hair falling down to her waist, a few wrinkles around the eyes and mouth and copper-toned skin. Her eyes were dark and kind and she was smaller than her, standing at five-foot-four. The other woman was younger, likely early-twenties and her black hair fell a little above mid-back. She had the same copper-toned skin, striking brown eyes and she stood at equal height to her, five-foot-six. They were both very pretty in Hermione’s opinion.

“Mom, Leah,” Seth started as Hermione felt herself pale. Seth’s sister would just happen to be Sam’s ex-girlfriend, wouldn’t she? And she seemed to know who Hermione was given the murderous glare she was shooting her. “This is Hermione.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” she smiled shyly. Leah’s glare only seemed to seep more hatred (if that was at all possible) before stormed away without a second glance. Seth and his mother both sighed, the former rolling his eyes and shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat.

“Just ignore her, Dear, I’m Sue Clearwater, Harry’s wife.” Hermione took her hand and shook it. “And who’s this?” She smiled at Teddy brightly.

“This is Teddy,” Hermione introduced with Teddy burying his head in her shoulder.

“Hermione!” Jared called, his voice carrying in the air and she twisted to look over her shoulder. “Time for food!”

“Well, you’d better get over there, if you don’t those greedy sods will have eaten all the food,” she told them and they laughed. “I’m being serious, in ten days I had to do _three_ food shops as they ate _everything_ in my fridge _and_ cupboards.”

Sue chuckled before taking the lead in heading over to the tables, her arm linked through Seth’s and Hermione walking a step behind them. Once they’d been given a plate, they selected their food items of choice before heading for the bonfire, taking seats on the logs and stumps. Hermione sat on the blankets with her legs crossed and Teddy sat opposite her whilst Sam sat behind her on a stump and Paul and Jared had claimed the log opposite her and behind Teddy.

“Hermione, you bought that house on First Beach, right?” Seth asked, drawing her attention from attempting to convince Teddy to eat a sandwich before he devoured all of the junk food on his plate, something she’d later chastise Paul for.

“Yes and thankfully it’s all fixed up now, I couldn’t have done it without the boys; they were lifesavers.”

“How'd you afford the house?”

“Seth!” His mother scolded and he gave her a sheepish smile, mouthing ‘sorry’.

Hermione snorted. “I have a well-paying job and I came into some money a little while back, some of it I have in the bank and some of it I have invested.”

“What do you do?”

“You could say that I’m a Chemist, Biologist and Herbalist rolled into one,” she replied, a smile tugging at her mouth which was mimicked by the three shifters.

“She’s a genius,” Jared said proudly. “She attended a boarding school for those with special gifts and talents, she not only graduated _early_ but with twelve subjects all with A-Plus grades,” he beamed.

“It’s not that impressive,” she muttered, her cheeks tinting pink in embarrassment as her eyes darted to the ground.

“Can’t be that smart to get knocked up before graduating,” Leah spoke coldly.

“Leah!” Her mother exclaimed in horror.

All conversation halted and eyes darted to Leah in surprise as the Councilmen observed Sam carefully, his large frame having stiffened and a low growl ripping from his throat. Paul and Jared’s narrowed gaze shifted from Leah and to Sam worriedly, their bodies preparing to leap at a moment’s notice so they could drag Sam away and to safety if they had to.

“I’m sorry?” Hermione spoke, her head lifting and cocking to the side slightly.

“You can’t be more than eighteen,” Leah’s cold eyes pierced her.

“Nineteen,” Hermione corrected.

“And that kid can’t even be two yet.”

“Twenty months,” Hermione confirmed with a slight nod.

“You got knocked up when you were seventeen, not that smart, kind of slutty, too.”

“Leah!” Her father warned, his tone harsher than Hermione thought him capable of.

A growl rumbled in Sam’s chest and without thought, Hermione tilted back until her body pressed against his knees and shins, leaning against him for support and that little contact seemed to help calm him a little.

“Interesting theory,” Hermione’s tone was light and calm, her eyes narrowed slightly in challenge. “Though, before you make a comment such as that, I suggest you ensure that you have your facts straight, to save you some embarrassment.”

“I’m not the one that should be embarrassed! I’m not the one that’s a teen mom,” she said nastily.

“Leah, was it?” Hermione asked innocently. Paul and Jared shared a smirk; they recognised that tone of voice all too well. “Teddy is my _Godson_.” Her voice seemed to drip with ice, Hermione feeling the eyes darting between her and Leah but paying no attention.

It wasn’t her fault that she and Sam were _meant_ to be together or that Sam had ended their relationship; they hadn’t even met or known of the other’s existence at that point. If Sam had cheated on Leah with her or broken up with her to be Hermione, then she could understand Leah’s hospitality and would think it was rightly deserved, but the current situation had no call for it.

It was obvious Leah was still bitter about their breakup no matter how many months had passed, but for her to take that anger out on Hermione was uncalled for and Hermione wouldn’t allow the angry, older woman (someone who should be more mature than her) to unnecessarily bring her Godson into things or make her feel guilty for taking on the role of motherhood when she was still young herself.

Hermione supposed Leah was angry because she had something she wanted. She had Sam. But despite knowing that, she wasn’t going to allow her to assassinate her character or make it seem as though Teddy were an inconvenience. Sam was a big wolf, he could handle his own battles but right now, Leah had picked a fight with Hermione and unprovoked and Hermione wasn’t one to back down from a challenge.

“When Teddy was three-weeks-old his parents were murdered.” Mutters of surprise followed the revelation and Leah’s face suddenly drained of colour. “Teddy was in the custody of his Grandmother and me Teddy’s Godfather helped her as much as possible. A few months ago she lost her battle with cancer and she died, leaving only me and his Godfather to care for him but as much as he loves Teddy, his career doesn’t allow him time for a small child, mine does as I work from home, so I adopted him before moving here. Am I the slut you think I am?”

Her eyes flashed amber for the smallest moment, making them all think they’d either imagined it or that it was a trick of the light, a reflection from the dancing flames of the bonfire.

“Also, you shouldn’t be so judgemental, if I were anyone else and didn’t have such good control over my emotions, I’d have smacked you in the face. There’s nothing wrong with being a young mother, sometimes the best mothers _are_ younger because they have to balance raising a child and their education. They have to learn to take care of a young child when they’re still learning to care for themselves. They have to deal with people such as you belittling them for their choices in life and they still teach their children many valuable lessons, some of which you possibly couldn’t comprehend because you have a mother and father that love you and have no doubt kept you safe and protected whilst they gave you everything you needed or wanted. Some people don’t have that luxury.”

She felt Sam’s hand on her shoulder and she lifted her own hand, entwining her fingers through his and gripping tightly. It was silent except for the cracking bonfire and she felt the eyes watching her closely but she kept her gaze firmly on Leah, who looked very much like she wanted to flee the bonfire and bury herself in a hole.

 _Good_ , Hermione thought.

“You’re from England, right Why’d you move here of all places?” Embry broke the silence, changing the subject and somewhat deflating the tension that had built.

“Yes, I’m from London. As for why, I’ve had a few difficult years and my fiancé died last year.” She gave a sad smile, her eyes tight around the corners.

“Moved on quickly,” Leah muttered.

Hermione’s eyes snapped to her as a growl rumbled in Sam’s chest. “When you lose someone you love to such awful means, then you may tell me how to grieve,” Hermione spoke, her voice flat. Leah looked surprised, as though she hadn’t expected Hermione to have heard her. “Yes, I heard you _perfectly_. And not that it’s any of your business, but my relationship with Sam is the first I’ve had in twenty months. When I lost Fred, it broke me to the point I was convinced I’d never recover and the hardest part of it all was that Fred has an identical twin brother, George, who is family to me. For a long while, I couldn’t even stand to look at him because he was a mirror image of the man that I loved.”

Fred was my entire world and he defended me against bullies in school, he made me laugh when I was upset, he taught me how to appreciate laughter and pranks, he taught me that I shouldn’t waste my life away in the library studying when there were other things that I needed to learn and experience. When Sam asked me on a date, I cried for hours on the phone George and it took him threatening to fly over here to convince me it was the right decision to make. So, yes, I am starting to move on from my dead fiancé,” she finished, her eyes spearing Leah with a look of contempt and disappointment before she avoided her gaze altogether. “As for moving _here_ , Teddy chose it randomly from a map. When I came to Forks in search of house, I met Billy and before I knew it, I’d bought the house on the beach.”

“Is it as big as it looks?” Seth asked, his eyes darting between his mortified and silent sister and Hermione leaning back against Sam, their hands entwined on her shoulder.

Paul snorted. “Bigger.”

During the ordeal, Teddy had climbed to his feet and wander over to Paul and Jared, now being perched on Paul’s lap and tugging at his hair and that’s when Hermione saw it, Teddy’s hair darkening at the tips.

Looking in search of a way to get Paul’s attention without drawing too much attention, she cast a glance down to her food-laden plate before she picked up a finger sandwich and threw it, it bouncing off his forehead, Teddy bursting into giggles and surprised laughter sounding from those present.

As Paul unhappily scowled at her, she deliberately turned her eyes to Teddy and his gaze followed, his own eyes widening in realisation before he quickly distracted Teddy by tickling his ribs, laughter peeling from him as his hair returned to normal. Sam chuckled and squeezed her shoulder in amusement as conversation soon flowed and food was eaten until Hermione’s attention was pulled from her conversation with Sam.

“Hermione, Teddy stole my cookie!” Paul cried childishly.

Snorting, Hermione held her arms out to Teddy and said, “Teddy, come here.” The little boy stumbled over to her, tripping and falling into her arms as Hermione sat him on her lap. “Did you steal Paul’s cookie?” She asked, only for him to shake his head in denial. “No? Then what’s that in your hand?” She folded her fingers around his right wrist and lifted it, purposely showcasing the half-eaten cookie clutched in his hand.

Sam and Jared laughed whilst Paul huffed and crossed his arms over his chest childishly. Teddy’s expression saddened but he held to the cookie out to Paul in offering.

“You can have it,” he begrudging grumbled, laughter erupting from those around him.

“Are you going to say sorry to Paul?” Hermione asked Teddy.

She set him back and his feet and released him, watching as he stumbled over to Paul and then hugged his leg, his head pressed against his knee and staring up at him. Paul sighed before reaching down and picking up him, propping his feet on his thighs as Teddy leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Paul’s neck and burying his face against his shoulder in a hug.

“I forgive you,” he muttered, a smile tugging at Hermione’s mouth at the adorable sight.

Not long after the plates were cleared away and all eyes turned to Billy, patiently waiting for him to begin his tale of the legends of the Tribe.

“The Quileutes have always been a small Tribe from the beginning. But we have always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors, shape-shifters, that transformed into the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies and protect our Tribe. One day, our warriors came across a creature. It looked like a man but it was hard like stone and as cold as ice. Our warriors’ sharp teeth finally tore it apart, but only fire could completely destroy it. They lived in fear that the cold man was not alone. And they were right; she took her vengeance out on the village,” Billy spoke, his voice quiet but dramatic and Hermione listened enraptured, leaning forward and paying no mind to the three shifters sniggers. “Our Elder Chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the Tribe after his son was killed. Taha Aki’s spirit wife could see that he was going to lose; the Third Wife was no magical being, no special powers but one. Courage. The Third Wife’s sacrifice distracted the cold woman long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the Tribe. Over time, our enemies disappeared, but one remains, the Cold Ones.”

When the story was over, all eyes seemed to dart towards one specific area, eyes widening a little but smiles tugging at their mouths. Sam had shifted so that he was sat on the floor with his back propped up against a log, one long leg was stretched out and the other bent at the knee with his foot planted on the floor, his arm draped over it. Hermione sat in-between his legs with her back pressing against his chest, leaning against him as her legs crossed at the ankles. Teddy had fallen asleep and he was splayed across Hermione’s chest, his hands fisted into her blouse and his ear pressed over her heart with Hermione’s arms holding him to her gently whilst Sam had his other arm folded around them both.

Hermione tilted her head back to look up at Sam; he smiled down at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead, her eyes closing and a smile playing at her lips. They didn’t half make a sight.

When Hermione felt a hum in her magic, a tingle slowly making its way through her body, she heard a breathless whisper in the back of her mind, and knowing better than to ignore her instincts or magic, she did her best to listen and understand.

“Sam?” Hermione called softly, carefully shifting Teddy in her hold before she unsteadily climbed to her feet, Sam following her movements.

“What is it?” His brow furrowed at her slight puzzled expression, briefly spying Paul and Jared approaching.

“I have this feeling.”

“ _Feeling_?” Paul arched an eyebrow.

“Yes, there’s a hum in my magic and a voice in the back of my mind, it’s trying to tell me something, I know it is.”

“What?”

“I’m not sure,” she frowned, trying her best to focus her mind, her lips pursing in thought before her eyes flittered over to Jacob, Quil and Embry. “Those boys, they feel familiar to me,” she muttered, their eyes following her gaze.

“Jacob’s a direct descendent from Ephraim Black, the first Alpha of the pack. I can feel it, he’s going to change soon and when he does, it’ll be his duty to take over as Alpha,” Sam explained.

Hermione tipped her head thoughtfully, absentmindedly running her fingers over Teddy’s back. “If I’m the Alpha Female and I’m bound to every member of the pack, it’d make sense that I can feel when someone’s due to change, right? It’s warning me, it has to be, I can’t think any other reason why I would feel this change in my magic.”

“Jacob’s going to change, I _know_ it. But I think we’ll have to wait a while, he hasn’t started his growth spurt yet and that’s the first sign he’s going through the change.”

“No, it can’t be Jacob,” she shook her head. “Someone else is going to change and in a matter of weeks, I can _feel_ it. It’s one of them; that’s where my magic’s pointing me to.” They looked to her and then the three teens gathered by the bonfire.

“It could be Quil,” Sam mused. “He’s a direct descendent of the Ateara line, a member of the first wolf pack. But he doesn’t seem to be going through the change either,”

“What about the boy, Embry?” Hermione asked.

“No, it can’t be him. I’ll admit he’s taller than he was when we last saw him, he seems to be filling out, too, but it can’t be him.”

“Why not?” She frowned.

“He doesn’t originate from the Quileute Tribe; his mother is from the Makah Tribe. She moved here when she was pregnant with Embry, he doesn’t have the gene from one of the three lines, Ateara, Uley and Black.”

Hermione’s eyes darted to Paul and Jared, her eyebrow arching questioningly.

“Black line,” Jared offered.

“Uley line,” Paul shrugged, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets.

“I’m telling you, Sam, one of them _is_ going through the change _now_ and it’ll be a few weeks at most.”

“What are you kids whispering about?”

They all startled slightly, being too engrossed in their conversation to notice Bill and Harry approaching their tightly gathered circle.

“Hermione senses a change,” Sam answered. Their smiles dropped from their face, their expressions turning serious as they turned their dark eyes to her.

“My magic’s warning me against a change,” she confirmed.

“How?” Billy asked, his brow furrowing a little.

“Giving that I’m bound to every member of the pack, we’ve determined that it would make sense that I’ll automatically be bound to any future pack members. My magic’s changed, I can feel it, so I’m confident someone is going through the change.”

“Who?”

“It’s Jacob, Embry or Quil, one of them _will_ change within in the next few weeks. Sam’s certain it’s not Jacob as he hasn’t had any symptoms, but he said he can feel the change coming.” Billy nodded in agreement. “And they’ve assured me that it can’t be Embry despite him having had a growth spurt and seems to be filling out. So by process of elimination, it must be Quil. Is he showing signs of going through the change?”

“No, but if you say it’s him then we’ll observe him,” Harry promised. “A few weeks, you say?”

“Yes, of that I’m certain. In a few weeks time, we’ll have a new member of the pack.”

“Thank you for telling us, we’ll inform Council Member Ateara,” he spoke before they nodded their goodbyes and left them alone.

“I think it’s time we headed back,” Hermione sighed tiredly. “We’ve a busy day tomorrow and we have to be up early, not to mention you all have patrols.”

“I have first watch,” Sam spoke, darting a quick glance down to the watch on his wrist. “Paul can drive you back to the house and we’ll swap patrols at three.” Nodding in agreement, Sam took Teddy from Hermione, settling his sleeping form against his chest, Teddy sleepily wrapping his arms around Sam’s neck and resting his head against his shoulder, giving a little snore. “We’ll say our goodbyes and leave, I’ll meet you at the truck.”

“Do you have to go?” Seth asked, approaching Hermione with his mother by his side, seeing the four of them separating and making their goodbye rounds.

“I’m afraid so, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow and a _lot_ of Christmas shopping to do,”

Sue chuckled at her. “I know the feeling.”

“Not only do I have the boys to shop for but those that I left behind in England, it’s a lot of people. I don’t doubt we’ll see each other again and likely at the beach, if you’re there and want a sandwich or a cup of tea, you know where to find me,” she said to Seth who grinned at her. She laughed lightly before walking away, sending a little wave over her shoulder and then directing one towards the three teens who were watching her leave.

When Hermione arrived at the truck, Sam had already strapped him into his car seat and she climbed into the back with Paul and Jared taking the mantle upfront. Hermione almost dozed off herself during the ride back to the house but when they arrived, she was quick with unlocking the door, putting Teddy to bed and saying her goodnights to Paul and Jared before heading to her own her bedroom, and without thought, Paul and Jared headed to the rooms they had claimed as theirs.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 14

**Tuesday 20th December 2005**

“Boys, get a move on! If you want to see as much as possible, we can’t be dawdling about. We only have five hours in Diagon Alley, trust me, you’re going to need it,” Hermione called, picking up her beaded bag and hooking it over her shoulder.

“Alright, Mom, calm down, we’re coming!” Paul yelled from the floor above

Rolling her eyes, Hermione reached for her black robes and slipped them on over her clothing before helping Teddy into his winter coat and aiming her wand at him, just as Sam, Paul and Jared entered the room, all dressed in jeans, trainers and t-shirts.

“It’s a good thing you don’t feel the cold, you’re going to get a shock in England,” she said amused, turning her focus to casting a Warming Charm over Teddy, red-hued glow settling around him before fading.

“What was that?”

“Warming Charm, it helps to fend off the cold. It’ll need to be recast every couple of hours but seeing as we’re in my world, it doesn’t matter,” she shrugged. “Right, I have something for you.” She waved her wand, summoning plain black robes identical to hers before handing them to them.

“What are these?” Jared arched his eyebrow.

“Robes, I thought that was obvious; they’ll help you to blend in. I want to try and avoid the press, if they see that I’m back we won’t get anything done and you stand out, I need you to blend in as much as possible. You’ll also need them for Hogwarts, it’s respectful.”

“They fit,” Sam said in surprise after slipping them on over his clothing.

“Yes, I altered them for you. Are you ready to leave?” Paul and Jared were practically bouncing on the balls of their feet where as Sam was more composed but even he couldn’t hide the excitement in his eyes. “We’ll be going by floo travel today, so, follow me.” She led them over to the fireplace. “It’s quite simple, you take a handful of floo powder, step into the flames, call out the address loudly and clearly and then you drop the powder into the grate. You’ll want to close your eyes and hold your breath for as long as possible, oh, and bend your knees, too, ready for the landing. The address is the Leaky Cauldron. I’ll go first and meet you on the other side, decide who goes next between you.”

She stepped into the flames, called the address, dropped the powder and covered Teddy’s eyes with her hand before she vanished into the flames.

~000~000~000~

**Diagon Alley**

Hermione stepped out of the floo and brushed away the soot, waiting patiently for the others to arrive with Paul being the first, stumbling out of the fireplace and Hermione reaching out to steady him.

“That felt weird,” he muttered, brushing the soot from his hair with a grmace.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Sam grumbled, giving his head a shake.

She snorted. “Be grateful I didn’t apparate you here, you _definitely_ would’ve been.”

“That was _awesome_!” Jared exclaimed, releasing a series of coughs that didn’t deter his grin.

“Well, now that everyone’s here safely, out first destination is Gringotts, I need to take some money out of my account and I’ve no doubt you’ll want to buy a few things whilst we’re here so we’ll have to have your money changed over.”

“Changed over?” Paul said confused.

“Yes, we have our own currency, galleons, sickles and knuts. One galleon is equivalent to four dollars and eighty-one cents. One sickle is equivalent to eighteen cents and one knut is equivalent to one cent. You’ll get the hang of it. How do you think I feel? I have to know how to use galleons, pounds and dollars,” she ran her hand through her hair in exasperation before wandered forward, leading them out of the pub and to a brick wall, pressing her wand to specific individual bricks in a sequence until it rumbled and the bricks began to shift to make a doorway. “Welcome to Diagon Alley, the most popular shopping centre in Britain.”

She stepped aside, allowing them through first, a smile pulling at her mouth when she heard their exclamations and she stepped through herself. She knew how they felt, she felt the same every time she set foot in Diagon Alley. It would never _not_ be magical.

Diagon Alley no longer held visual reminders of the war; everything was as it should be. Children ran around laughing loudly, shoppers went about their business perusing the shop windows with bags and boxes holding their purchases floating behind them. Shop window displays popped with moving objects, photos and posters. Snow covered the cobblestone floor and window panes, it was as it should be, except happier, especially since the magnificent Christmas decorations littered every shop, not one was left undone.

“What do you boys think?” They turned to her in surprise before they all spoke over one another and she laughed. “Come on, we’ll go to the bank and before I forget, the bank tellers are goblins so don’t stare at them and don’t be surprised if they act coldly towards me. They don’t like witches or wizards but they hate me more.”

“Because you broke in and stole their dragon,” Jared laughed.

“To save the world,” she defended, making her way through the crowd and they stayed close to her, their eyes trying to take everything in.

When they reached the bank they looked up at the large, golden building in awe and Hermione led them through the foyer with white marble flooring and white walls and she headed straight to the back of the building where tall desks sat with goblins atop them. Hermione cleared her throat to get their attention and one pulled his glasses down his nose and peered down at her blankly.

“I would like to access my vault please.”

“Name,” he sneered.

“Hermione Granger,”

“Of course it is,” he muttered. “I need identification.” Hermione handed him her vault key and wand which he checked over before he gave it back to her. “Ragnore is waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” she replied, smiling politely before walking away from the desk and over to the door where the goblin stood waiting for her. He gestured for them to step inside and climb into the large mine cart and although it was a squeeze, they managed to all fit. “Don’t throw up,” Hermione muttered.

“Why would we....”

“FUCKING HELL!” Paul called in surprise as the mine cart suddenly dropped fifty foot down the track before weaving and diving, going through a tunnel and under a leaking pipe followed by a waterfall that soaked them down to their skin and they came to a sudden stop, jerking forward.

“I feel ill,” Jared muttered.

“Vault four hundred and sixty-three, key please,” the goblin spoke, holding his hand out expectantly. Hermione stepped out of the cart and handed her key to the goblin who opened the door, looking to the shifters warily.

“They can enter,” was all she said as she stepped inside. 

“Fuck!” Paul cursed when he saw the large piles of gold and silver, the large collection of books and several expensive looking pieces of jewellery.

“You said you had money, you didn’t say you were _rich_ ,” Jared muttered.

“I’m technically a millionaire.”

“How?” They spluttered, Sam actually choking and Paul absentmindedly whacked him on the back as his gaze darted about the vault.

“After the war, when I received my Order of Merlin: First Class, it also comes with a cash reward of three hundred thousand galleons. I invested some of it straight away, a sum of money is deposited into my account monthly. On top of that, I received compensation for my suffering in the war. The Ministry of Magic and Gringotts seized all assets and froze all accounts of Death Eaters that are either in Azkaban or dead and everything was divided up between the victims of each Death Eater. Antonin Dolohov, as far as I’m aware, is still on the run and he’s the one that almost killed me my fifth year so I was compensated for that, and I received payment from the Black, Malfoy and Lestrange families for my torture in Malfoy Manor. Then there’s my job, not only do I have a contract with St. Helena’s but I privately brew potions for others as well. When you add everything together and take into account the exchange rate, I’m a millionaire.”

They silently stared as she handed Teddy over to Paul and then took out a money pouch from her bag and began filling it up with gold.

“Let’s get your money changed over and then we can begin shopping.” They nodded dumbly before she led the way out of the vault and climbed back into the mine cart. When they arrived back to the foyer, they had their money changed over. “Right, we’ll head to Slug and Jigger’s Apothecary, I need to restock most of my ingredients and I need some new scales, too.” she led them in the direction of the shop and stepped inside.

As they stepped into the dark decor of the shop, they choked on the smell of rotten cabbage and bad eggs barely resisting from covering their mouths and noses with their hands, but still followed her to the front counter, their eyes taking in the jars of bright powders, herbs, and many other disgusting things such as pigs’ intestines, frogs’ spawn, monkey eyeballs and bat wings. When she saw the barrels of unidentified green slime, they studiously avoided it.

“Miss. Granger, it’s wonderful to see you again, I heard that you left England.”

Hermione smiled at the aged wizard with long grey hair, large glasses and wrinkles almost swallowing up his blue eyes.

“Hello, Simon, it’s wonderful to see you, too. Yes, I did move away, I needed a change.”

He looked at her sadly. “Of course you did.” She shuffled on her feet uncomfortably and cleared her throat. “What can I do for you?” He asked, his tone cheery. 

“I need the full works, Simon. My potion stores are dangerously low and I have a large order coming in. I’ll need two jars of every ingredient you have, and a few that are slightly more tricky to obtain, as well some new scales.”

He smiled at her. “Of course, Miss. Granger, do you have a list?” She nodded and handed it to him and he looked it over, humming thoughtfully. “Yes, I do see what you mean. Silver Weed is difficult to get a hold of this time of year, but I’ll get in touch with my contacts and see what they have. Blood of Acromantula, Ashwinder Eggs and Unicorn Blood are also difficult to obtain, but I’ll see what I can do in regards to the rest of your list.”

“Thank you, Simon, if you can just charge it to my account, that would great. Can I have them delivered to Harry Potter’s address, please?”

“Certainly, I’ll need a week.”

“Oh, don’t rush on my account. Two week is fine, it’s Christmas and owl post will be backed up. Thank you, Simon ad until next time.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

She smiled at him before leading them out of the shop.

“That place smelled funny,” Jared grimaced and she snorted.

“I have to go to Potage’s Cauldrons, they’re supposed to be replaced regularly and mine are starting to warp which is dangerous in potion making.”

She led them through the bustling crowd and into the cauldron shop, it was dark and dingy with cauldrons littering every possible surface.

“Miss. Granger, how nice to see you again.”

Hermione smiled at the aging man behind the counter, his hair a funny mix of orange and grey, his eyes a bright green and wrinkles littered his frail frame.

“And you, Reginald, I’m afraid I can’t stay long but I need a few items.”

“Of course, what can I help you with?”

“I need three pewter cauldrons, size ten, two brass and two copper cauldrons, both size sixes, as well as two self-stirring cauldrons, size sevens, and one silver cauldron, size four, if you please.”

“Of course, Miss. Granger, am I charging it to your account?”

“Yes, please, Reginald, and delivered to Harry Potter’s address as usual.”

“It’ll take two to three weeks due to the back up in the owl post.”

“I understand, Reginald. Until next time.”

“Goodbye, Miss. Granger.”

“Just one more shop,” Hermione promised as they stepped out into the Alley. “Flourish and Blotts, I need to update my potion theory books, as well as update my knowledge of healing salves. After this we can start Christmas shopping.”

She led them to Flourish and Blotts and when they stepped inside their eyes widened at the thousands upon thousands of books in the shop and window display. Whilst the boys wandered off, looking around, Hermione headed straight to the counter.

“Miss. Granger,” Mr. Flourish grinned.

Hermione knew it wouldn’t be long before he passed, he was already nearing his two hundred and ninth birthday.

“Mr. Flourish, it’s been too long.”

“It has, it has. I have your order out back, would you like to take it with you today.”

“If it’s not too much trouble,” she replied.

“Of course it’s not.” he tsk’ed before disappearing into the back room.

“Hermione, can I have this book?”

Hermione turned to see Jared popping his out from behind a bookcase, holding a copy of _Quidditch through the Ages_.

“Do you even know what Quidditch is?”

“Yeah, it’s a sport, Harry told us about it, it sounds awesome,” he grinned.

“I already have a copy of that book in the library.”

“You do?” He questioned in surprise, beaming when she nodded and his head popped out of view as he returned the book to the bookcase.

“What’s this book about?” Paul gestured to the _Monster Book of Monsters_ , sat on the shelf.

“Magical Creatures, it’s actually alive, if you don’t know how to handle it it’ll bite you.” He glanced down at the amused, looking as though he were contemplating testing it for himself. “I already have it in the library; I still have all my school books if you want to look through them. That’s the best way to learn about this world, particularly my history of magic books.”

“Here you go Miss. Granger, shall I charge it to your account?” Mr. Flourish asked, placing two boxes on the counter. 

“Please,” she nodded, shrinking the boxes and then slipping them into her beaded bag, looking over shoulder to see that Sam had returned along with Jared and they stared at her in surprise.

“How many books did you buy if they’ve been placed in boxes?” Sam asked.

“Fifty-seven,” she shrugged. “I’m trying to only buy books that I need but I just couldn’t help myself and I bought two extra that caught my attention.”

“You _needed_ fifty-five books?” Paul said slowly.

“Yes, for research purposes. But now the fun begins, since you’re so interested we can visit Quality Quidditch Supplies,” she trailed in a sigh. “I _hate_ that shop, it’s always packed and there’s barely any space to move let alone breathe but I’m buying Harry a new broom for Christmas.”

“Does he fly?” He asked as the followed her out of the shop and down the Alley.

Hermione snorted. “He’s one of the best flyers I’ve ever seen, remind me to show you my memories of every Quidditch match I’ve been to. I went to the World Cup my fourth year, Ireland won. The next one’s due in two years, if you’re nicely behaved I’ll see about getting you tickets.” They grinned excitedly. They stopped outside the shop and they stared at the amount of people they saw inside through the windows, as well as being surprised by how many brooms there were on display.

“There’s so many,” Jared said surprised.

“Of course there is, brooms are like cars, there’s different models and designs and each one does something different or has different features. There are over one hundred different brooms. I’m here for the Firebolt 9000, it’s three times better than the Firebolt 3000, which was voted the best broom three years in a row. Of course, it’s going to be expensive but Harry’s worth it.”

“How expensive are we talking?” Paul arched an eyebrow.

She pointed to the window where the Firebolt 9000 poster was on display and they spluttered when they saw the price.

“I know,” she nodded in agreement, “I’ve no idea how people can afford to live these days, I mean, two thousand galleons for a bloody broomstick, it’s ridiculous! But I know Harry wants one more than anything and it’ll help him when he’s on missions or raids, so it’s not just for personal use. They sold out within a week two months ago, luckily I had the thought to pre-order one and have them keep a hold of it for me,” she grinned. “Prepare for the worse,” she warned them but her eyes quickly scanned them thoughtfully. “Although, with your size people will just move out of the way for you. That’s it, you’re going first.”

The snorted but as she wished, and as they opened the door and stepped inside, just as Hermione had predicted the patrons automatically gave their large frames a wide form, parting a path right to the front counter.

“Hermione Granger,” she said to the gawking man behind the counter. He can’t have been much older than her, and his short blonde hair fell a little into his green eyes and he had a straight nose and pale skin. “I’m here to pick up my order of the Firebolt 9000, it’s being held in storage.”

He gawked at her. “You’re Hermione Granger,” he muttered.

She gave a tolerant smile. “Yes, I am, now please can I have my order?”

“But you’re Hermione Granger,” he spluttered.

She sighed. “Yes, my order if you please.”

“I’m Gerald Hulks, I was in Hufflepuff, the year below you.”

Her eyes slowly examined him. “Hmm, you do seem familiar. Library, history of magic section?”

“You remember me?” He cried in surprise.

“I think we’ve established that she remembers you.” Sam’s deep voice interrupted, his body pressing up against Hermione’s as he placed one large hand against the surface of the counter, almost caging Hermione in whilst Teddy sat on his hip, his other arm holding him in place. “Now, please give the lady what she asked for.”

The younger man nodded furiously, his wide eyes darting back to Hermione. “Can I have your autograph?”

“Now!” Sam’s voice rumbled, startling the wizard until he promptly turned and _ran_ through the back room.

Hermione sighed tiredly, turning around to see the entire shop had fallen quiet with everyone looking to her expectantly. 

“You all want autographs, don’t you?” She spoke knowingly and shouts of confirmation broke out, everyone trying to be heard. Resisting the urge to rub at her temples or pinch the bridge of her nose, she brought her thumb and index finger to her lips, releasing a whistle that quieted he crowd. She whistled gaining everyone’s attention. “Do you all have something for me to sign?” Noise erupted as parchment, newspapers, books and magazines were being waved in the air, trying to get her attention and she was forced to whistle once more to quieten them down. “Everyone hold up what it is you wish to be signed and when I tell you to, say your names aloud.” She pulled her wand from her robes, her furrow furrowing and her lips pursing in concentration as she waving her wand in intricate patterns and muttered under her breath. “Now!”

A chorus of voices filled the shop as everyone spoke their names and as she slipped her wand into her robes, noise chorused as they thanked her and excitedly bragged about having her autograph. 

“You’re a celebrity,” Paul commented amusedly, dodging the smack she’d aimed at him with the back of her hand as she grumbled.

Turning to face the counter, she reached for a sheet of parchment and plucked the quill from a pot of ink, signing her name.

“Is your order correct?” Gerald asked, his skin tinted pink and seeming a little out of breath, his gaze darting to Sam warily. “One Firebolt 9000, one beater’s bat and beater’s pads, and one set of the complete Chudley Canons game robes?”

“Yes, it is,” Hermione confirmed, shrinking the items and slipping them into her beaded bag. “Thank you, Gerald, it should already be paid for but if not charge it to my account.” She pushed the parchment over to him and he picked it up, surprised.

“To Gerald, yes, I remember you. I caught you snogging that Ravenclaw in the Astronomy Tower. Hermione Granger,” he read aloud, his skin flushing red as Jared and Paul burst out laughing and Sam chuckled.

Hermione reached for one of the catalogues stacked into high piles on the counter and handed it to Jared, saying, “Have a look through it and if there’s anything you’re curious about or want, I’ll place an order and have it delivered to Harry.”

“Where to next?” Sam asked, shifting Teddy in his arms and being grateful they’d finally left the shop as he’d begun to feel claustrophobic. 

“Madam Malkin’s, I need some new robes.” Silently they followed her to the shop that was more calm and relaxing with light wallpaper and flooring. Clothing racks covered the shop floor with a thick velvet curtain behind the counter and several changing rooms. 

“Miss. Granger, a pleasure to see you again,” Madam Malkin greeted, practically tripped over her feet making her way over to her. Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Good Morning, Madam Malkin,” Hermione greeted. “I’m in need of some robes, nothing fancy, just something that can withstand my potion making. I also need a few dresses or robes to give as Christmas gifts.”

“I am more than happy to help,” she gushed.

“Great,” Hermione replied flatly. “The dresses or robes are for Ginny and Molly Weasley.”

“They were in here just last week, I saw them eyeing a few of my designs, but the poor dears weren’t able to afford the price,” she whispered conspiratorially.

She barely stopped herself from snapping. “Fabulous, wrap them up for me please.”

“All of them?” She asked excitedly.

“Yes, _all_ of them. As for my measurements, they haven’t changed since my last fitting. I would like five robes in black, one in red, one in blue, one in purple and two in white, please. Something similar to Hogwarts standard robes would be preferable.”

“Of course, if you would just follow me to the counter and then we’ll get everything set up,” her eyes gleamed as she turned and walked away.

“You boys should have a look around, see if there’s anything that catches your fancy, I doubt it though, I much prefer Muggle clothing.” After fifteen minutes, her purchases were in her beaded bag and she’d paid for items and she met the boys by the door. “Nothing?” They shook their heads and left the shop, following her down the Alley. “Well, I know just the place that will capture your attention,” she turned and walked forward before stopping. “Boys, welcome to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes.”

Their eyes immediately locked on the bright orange and magenta paint job that clashed horribly, but it caught your attention. The moving display above the shop hadn’t been changed and it was still George pulling a rabbit out of a hat, the overhead signs being large and whimsical.

“It’s always busy in here, too, but I think it’s more your style.”

She pushed the door open and stepped inside, their muttered and choked sounds following her. Laughter immediately hit their ears and Sam had to duck as a firework almost collided with his head. Displays were going off in every direction, cannon balls were being fired across the room and brightly packaged products filled every surface.

“PRINCESS!”

Hermione felt arms wrap around her from behind and she was lifted off her feet and spun in circles. She laughed, knowing exactly who it was and she briefly heard Sam growling in warning but paid it no mind.

“George, put me down,” she instructed through her laughter.

When she was set back on her feet and the arms released her, she spun on her heel to see George towering over her. His height, whilst still impressive, was nothing compared to Paul, Jared and Sam’s. George beamed down at her, his turquoise eyes shining brightly and for a small moment she felt her stomach twist and her heart break painfully.

“I knew it was you, what’re you doing here?” He asked her happily, reaching out and pulling her into a hug, only releasing her when she laughed as he lifted her off the ground.

“I’m doing a bit of Christmas shopping but I can’t stay long, I’m guest lecturing at Hogwarts.”

“Now, if you were my professor I definitely would’ve stayed till the end,” he wriggled his eyebrows and she laughed, smacking his arm. “Hey, Teddy, we’ve missed you,” George grinned at him.

Teddy smiled widely and his hair turned from messy blonde to bright red that fell below his ears to match George’s, his eyes morphing into turquoise, and George held his hand out, Teddy reaching out to high-five him.

“George, this is Sam, Jared and Paul,” she introduced, George’s attention moving to the three large figures.

“What the fuck do you eat?” He asked bluntly and with no sign of embarrassment. Hermione tutted and rolled her eyes.

“A lot,” Paul shrugged.

“He’s not kidding, they eat more than you do,” Hermione argued.

George gasped dramatically and held a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Princess.”

“Nothing gets past that ego,” she deadpanned.

He grinned. “Right you are. Anyway, I’m George Weasley, Prankster Extraordinaire and co-creator of this place of downright ingenious,” he bowed and Hermione rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “So, Princess, are these the shape-shifters you told me about?”

The three shifters darted a glance about their surroundings, unused to being referred to as that in such a public place.

“Yes, we’re talking eight-foot tall wolves.”

George whistled appreciatively. “Nice,” he nodded, “And the big one?”

“Sam, the Alpha.”

“You’ve been holding out on me,” he nudged her with his elbow teasingly and wriggled his eyes. “I bet you’re glad I forced you to go on a date with him.”

Hermione chuckled. “Yes, I am,” she agreed.

“He’d be proud of you,” George muttered, his expression suddenly serious. “He’d be happy for you.”

“George, he’d be very proud of you, too,” she said softly and he smiled at her sadly. The shifters fidgeted uncomfortably, feeling as though they were intruding on a private moment.

“Anyway,” George clapped his hands loudly, “How about a tour?” He suggested and Jared and Paul nodded enthusiastically.

“Jared’s a budding prankster, he’s been trying to prank me since he met me.”

“And you’ve failed, haven’t you?” George looked to him knowingly.

“How’d you know?” Jared frowned.

“Taught her everything she knows,” he grinned proudly.

“I’ve been dying to break out those products you gave me but I couldn’t since they didn’t know of magic. Now they do, I gave them Canary Creams, never seen them so frightened,” she grinned.

“That’s my girl,” he slipped his arm around her shoulders and Sam growled. George looked far from frightened, his mouth twitching into a smirk.

“Right then, a tour, let’s go.... Move out the way, royalty coming through!” George called loudly, grabbing Hermione’s hand and tugging her through the throng of patrons. “Come on, move it! Don’t you know who this is? Give her some room people! She’s a star, a War Heroine, the brains behind WWW! Show some respect or you’re all banned for life! Only kidding, we love your galleons, two weeks! No, that’s a lot of profit loss. One week! You’ll be banned for one week and I’ll aim a cannon ball at your head. _Deliberately_!”

Hermione’s laughter was drowned out by the chorus of cheers and laughter from the patrons and they had to be quick following them as they almost lost sight of them.

They spent over an hour with Jared and Paul listening to George enraptured and eagerly asking questions and Sam spent most of his time with narrowed eyes directed to George as was physically affectionate with her always tugging her into his side or grabbing her hand and dragging them to the next display. When they made their way over to the counter, Jared and Paul had their arms laden with items and it took fifteen minutes just to ring up the sales and once George told them the discounted price, Hermione helped them with the payment.

“Don’t tell anyone I’m here, it’s only for the day and I don’t have time to visit everyone.” George nodded before hugging her and kissing her cheek. “We’ll see you Christmas day, the boys are coming with me; I’ve already told your mum.”

George laughed. “That’ll be a fun day, Ron’s still pissed you broke up with him.”

“He can shove his attitude, I’m done with his shit.”

George laughed. “Give him hell?”

“If you feel the need,” she nodded.

“I do, I _really_ do.”

“Then I approve.”

“Great, I’ve got some products finished; I just need a guinea pig.”

“I’ll see you in a few days,” she said.

“Yeah, good luck,” he called as she walked away, leaving the shop.

“I think I’ve found my new favourite place in the world,” Jared commented, looking back over his shoulder and she snorted.

“Just remember, you can’t use anything you bought on or around muggles.”

“Fine,” he grumbled.

“We don’t have a lot of time left. We should head to Hogsmeade, we can have lunch there and you can try butter beer.” She shrunk their bags down for them and put them in her beaded bag.

“Don’t have ID,” Paul shrugged.

“You don’t need it. You come of age once you reach seventeen in the Wizarding World. You can legally drink. Besides, butter beer only has a small amount of alcohol in it; you’d have to drink several to even feel tipsy and thirteen-year-olds are allowed to buy it. Though with your metabolisms, I’d suspect you’d need to drink well into double digits. Now, fire whiskey, that’s another story entirely, doesn’t half hurt,” she winced just thinking about it.

~000~000~000~

**The Three Broomsticks**

“This, boys, is the Three Broomsticks, the number one hang out spot for Hogwarts’ students when they’re allowed to leave the castle. They have the best food and butter beer in Britain. Take a seat and I’ll order for you whilst you look at the menu,” she said, gesturing for them to find a table as she headed for the bar. “Hello, Rosie,” Hermione greeted.

“Hermione, it’s been a while, I heard you moved. I don’t blame you after all that press coverage, somewhere warmer I hope.”

“No, not really,” she shrugged and Rosie chuckled. “Please may I have a pumpkin juice and four butter beers?” She asked and the drinks were in front of her before she could blink.

“Are you having lunch?”

“Yes, I’ll take your soup of the day with some bread and a child’s bangers and mash. My friends are just looking at the menu; I’ll be back over shortly with the rest of the order.” Rosemeda smiled and nodded, and Hermione levitated the drinks over to the booth in the back corner of the room where the boys were sitting. “Do you know what you want? Rosie’s waiting,”

“What’s toad in the hole?” Paul frowned. “Please tell me it’s not an actual toad.”

Hermione snorted. “No, it’s a Yorkshire pudding with sausage.”

“Bangers and mash?” Jared asked.

“Sausages and mash potato.”

“Joint and chips?” Sam asked confused.

“Lamb, fries, vegetables and gravy.”

“Oh,” they all chorused in surprise and after deciding on their meals, Hermione returned to the bar and their food. Once they’d eaten their fill, they took their leave and Hermione took them to Honeydukes.

“Don’t tell anyone, but this is my favourite shop,” she opened the door and when they stepped in their noses were assaulted with sugar and their eyes with every candy the Wizarding World had to offer.

“Ice mice, Pepper Imps, Cauldron Cakes, Cockroach Clusters, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, Sugar Quills,” Jared read off the labels.

“They’re not real mice or cockroaches, as for Bertie Bott’s, they’re not kidding. I once had a dog food flavoured one, Harry laughed his arse off until he got a sweaty sock one,” she laughed. They looked both disgusted and amused. “Of course, you also get things like ham, bacon, strawberry, toothpaste, apple. I’ll have to restock, oh, and Sugar Quills, maybe some Cauldron Cakes, too, definitely Chocolate Frogs,” she spoke, wandering off with Teddy in her arms.

They looked at each other and laughed before walking around the shop, picking things up that interested them and asking Hermione what they were before they decided to buy them. Hermione left with five bags, Jared and Paul two each and Sam had six, much to Hermione’s amusement. His sweet tooth was worse than hers and she didn’t think was possible. Where Jared and Paul had loved Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, Sam’s favourite had been Honeydukes and that was clear.

“We better head to the castle; it’s a bit of a trek. There should be a carriage waiting for us.”

They followed Hermione for twenty minutes before they noticed a large white carriage, seemingly to be pulled by nothing and it halted to a stop and waited for them. Much to their confusion, Hermione wandered past the carriage and over to the dark but beautiful creature and she petted it.

“What’re you doing?” Sam asked her.

“It’s a thestral, they’re invisible to everyone but those that have witnessed death,” she muttered quietly before climbing into the carriage with the boys following her, and the carriage started its journey.

“Just how many people have you witnessed dying?” Jared asked, not being sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

“One hundred and thirteen,” she quietly answered, not even needing to take a moment to consider her reply, an action that had their eyes darting to each other and then back to her in concern.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Hogwarts: Tuesday 20th December 2005**

"Are you boys ready to see the magical castle that is Hogwarts?"

"More than ready," Paul grinned.

"Look out your window."

They blinked slowly before they stuck their heads out of the carriage and they were floored with the sight as they came to the gates of Hogwarts. The castle was aged and magnificent with mismatched stone, tall towers and battlements and flags and crests flew high from the towers. The Scottish Mountains could be seen in the background, covered in snow and mist distorting the view. The tress of the Forbidden Forest could be seen further back on the grounds and snow covered the ground, and the goalposts of Quidditch pitch were easily noticeable.

"Welcome to my home away from home," she said.

"It's amazing," Sam breathed out and the others nodded in silent agreement.

"Stay close to me, I don't want you getting lost and if I tell you to run, you do it."

"Why?"

"Peeves," she shrugged as if he answer were obvious and stepping through the gates onto the grounds. They confused by her answer but followed her, falling into step beside her and being grateful when they reached the entrance hall, which is where McGonagall greeted her.

"Hermione," she smiled warmly.

Hermione handed Teddy to Paul before she stepped forward, saying, "Headmistress McGonagall,"

"No need to be so formal, Dear," she chuckled, pulling Hermione into a hug gentle.

"Sorry, it's strange being back here and seeing you, it sent me back to my first year for a moment."

McGonagall chuckled as she drew back, folding her hands before her stomach and eyeing the large figures of Sam, Jared and Paul. "You must be the shape-shifters,"

"Yes, Sam, Jared and Paul," Hermione introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hermione's spoken of you fondly, though I do hope you'll be on your best behaviour," she said with Jared and Paul smiling innocently.

Hermione snorted. "I'll keep them in line," Hermione promised. "Would it be alright if I gave the, a tour of the castle after my lecture?"

"Of course, I dare say you know the castle better than I, given all that sneaking around you did." Hermione looked sheepish. "Would you like to stay for dinner? The house-elves always make far too much."

"We'd love to stay for dinner, Minerva, thank you."

"Wonderful, all the students are waiting for you in the great hall, all house tables have been cleared away to allow for space. You have three hours to speak on what you wish, at which point you may start your tour. Dinner is served at six o'clock as always and you may continue with the tour afterwards, would you like to stay the night?"

"I'm afraid we can't, the boys have to get back for patrols."

"Of course, and have you found her yet?" She asked Hermione softly.

Her eyes flashed amber. "No, I've lost track of her."

"You'll find her, Hermione," she assured her before turning and stepping through the entrance doors and they followed her, Hermione briefly explaining the castle's history and what she knew of the portraits as they passed them in the hallways.

"This is the great hall," Hermione said and the doors suddenly opened to reveal the massive hall, the ceiling a misty grey, mimicking the sky outside. As soon as the doors opened all talk died down and all the students turned to face her, nearly five hundred of them. Applause and cheers burst from them and the professors smiled at her, Hermione's cheeks tinting pink as she ducked her head.

McGonagall walked into the great hall and the students parted for her and Hermione and the boys followed her to the end of the hall where several chairs sat for the boys to sit down on which they did and Hermione stood in front of them with McGonagall who quieted the students.

"Students, as you can see, today we have a special guest, Hermione Granger." Applause echoed in the large hall before McGonagall quieted them down. "She will be here for three hours only due to her busy schedule, now, I expect you to be on your best behaviour and to treat her with the same level of respect you hold for your professors. Do not waste this time you have with her."

With one final glance, McGonagall turned and took her head at the head's table and all eyes turned to Hermione expectantly, seeing several of the older eyeing her shifters curiously until they noticed her narrowed-eye gaze and promptly turned their eyes elsewhere.

"As Headmistress McGonagall said, I'm only here for three hours and that doesn't give us a lot of time together. So, whilst I am here, you may ask any question you wish or I will attempt to help you in anything that you are struggling with, I will attempt to simply difficult spells so that all of you can cast them with little effort. So, any questions?" Hands shot up, too many to count. "Yes, you there, Hufflepuff with the red hair."

"My name's Jason, I'm a fourth year."

"What can I help you with?"

"Is it true that you dated Harry Potter?"

Hermione grimaced. "No," they laughed at her response and hands went up again. "Ravenclaw, blonde wavy hair."

"Clara, I'm a second year," she spoke shyly, Hermione smiled at her encouragingly. "The older students all say you have a speciality hex, what is it?"

Hermione pulled her wand from her robe pocket. "Every witch has a speciality hex, mine is _Avis_ ," she called, a flock of bright yellow canaries taking flight around the room and over the heads of students, the room chorusing with exclamations. "Along with _Oppungo_ , I can control these birds to do what I wish." She flicked her wand, the birds disappearing and hands shot up once more. "Gryffindor, brown hair... Wait, Dennis?"

He smiled brightly and nodded. She felt her stomach twisting and her heart clenching painfully. It was Collin Creevy's younger brother.

"Hi, Hermione, is it true that you can cast a Patronus?" Hermione pursed her lips, nodding slowly. "Can we see it?"

"I haven't cast my Patronus in a long time."

"Why?" Someone shouted.

"Some of you may know what a Patronus is, others not, so I will explain. A Patronus is the embodiment of a person's soul. It's their spirit animal," she started, darting a glance over her shoulder to see the three shifters listening attentively. "It's one of the most difficult charms in the world to cast, therefore only a small percentage of magical folk are able to do it, six percent. The Patronus is used for many reasons. It's used as a form of defence against dementors, it's the only thing that can destroy them if strong enough, if not it will only frighten them and it will work as a distraction. They are used to communicate; they can't be intercepted and can only deliver messages to the designated receiver. They are also used as companions, if you are feeling upset or lonely, you can cast your Patronus and they will comfort you. If they are not given a specific task they will revert to their natural behaviour."

"The Patronus is a very powerful form of pure magic, being equivalent to unicorn horn or a ray of light from a blue moon. Anyone that practices dark magic is not able to cast the Patronus Charm, if they were to attempt to, maggots would be conjured and they would devour the spell caster." Surprised faces started up at her. "The Patronus Charm is difficult to cast due to the amount of happiness, self-belief and magical power that is needed to conjure it. You need to think of your happiest memory and it has to be strong enough to form your spirit animal, otherwise, you've simply made a torch." The professors chuckled at her. "It can take years to master the charm."

"So why haven't you cast it?" Someone shouted.

She closed her eyes briefly and her grip tightened on her wands. "As I'm certain many of you know, the War was difficult for everyone and I found myself being Undesirable Number Two due to my friendship and loyalty to Harry Potter, and my very existence. I was cursed, hunted, captured and I've come dangerously close to death more times than I care to admit. But none of that compared to the suffering I felt when Fred Weasley died, he was my fiancé, and I watched him die." Half of the hall was silent, the other half filled with mutters. "I haven't cast a Patronus since that night."

"Can you try?" A small voice carried over the voices.

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed before turning to face the three shifters; if she was to succeed, she would need her pack, so she approached them and moved to stand behind their chairs.

"Six percent?" Paul muttered and she nodded. "And you're part of that? Show off," he said teasingly and she snorted before patting his shoulder.

She darted a glance between them and Teddy and set her hand on Sam's shoulder, his own coming up to twine their fingers together and squeezing gently. Feeling the support of her pack, Hermione took a breath and lifted her wand, thoughts and memories flittering through her mind; the laughter and happiness, the freedom and support. The Pack. Teddy. Sam.

" _Expecto Patronum_ ," she whispered. She felt a burst of magic flow through her and passing through her wand, so strong that her arm jerked back in surprise.

Hearing gasps and mutters, her eyes fluttered open and standing before them was a large wolf. Not an otter, not a werewolf, a wolf. A wolf that reminded her of Sam's wolf form; the same size, the same height and the same eyes, the only difference being the silver-blue misty smoke rather than jet black.

"Amazing," Jared whispered.

Blinking slowly, Hermione pulled her hand from Sam and stepped around the chairs, moving over to the wolf and holding her hand out to it. The large wolf nuzzled at her hand before she carded her fingers through the surprisingly soft fur of its head.

"This is my Patronus," she said to the crowd of students. Several of the professors were looking at her strangely having known her Patronus had once been an otter. Only Severus and McGonagall knew the true meaning.

Hermione spent the rest of her time with the students answering questions and demonstrating certain spells and when three hours came and went, they were sent on their way so the great hall could be put to rights ready for dinner to be served.

"Severus," Hermione smiled, hugged him once the hall was empty of everyone but them and the boys, knowing he'd never allow anyone to see this side of him. He was the bat of the dungeons. Cold, mean and sneering. He didn't smile or laugh and he certainly didn't hug. "There's been a development."

He arched a questioning eyebrow and she quickly explained the theory of her magic being stronger due to the pack bond, his expression thoughtful.

"It is possible. We'll have to complete a few experiments, do you want to do it now?"

"I promised the boys I'd give them a tour of the castle, we're staying for dinner but we have to get home for their have patrols." He nodded in understanding. "We'll have to have a meeting, I can come over Christmas Eve for a few hours?"

"I'll speak to Minerva and let you know," he spoke, before leaving the great hall without further comment.

"Well, shall we start the tour on this floor?" She turned to them.

"How many floors are there?" Sam asked, handing a sleeping Teddy over to Paul.

"Seven, in total. We won't get through everything, I've spent years exploring this castle and I still haven't been in every room yet, so I'll show you my favourites. First, the kitchens." She led them out the great hall and towards the dungeons. "The dungeons are where the potions classrooms are located, I won't take you down there, the smell alone would be overkill on your senses," she grimaced and they chucked. "The Slytherin common room and dorm rooms are also down there but this is where we want to be," she stopped in front of a painting of fruit. "Tickle the pear."

"What?"

"Tickle the pear."

They looked at her as though she were stupid but Jared reached out did as she said, their eyes widening when the pear giggled and they heard a click before the painting swung open, leaving a passageway that Hermione led them down.

They entered the kitchen, seeing it was the exact same size as the great hall, large wooden tables were in the centre of the room where the food was being prepared by the house-elves, ovens and sinks surrounded the edges of the walls and pots and pans hung from the ceiling, the pantry being at the back of the room by the lit fireplace.

" _What_ are those?" Jared pointed to the house-elves.

"House-elves, they cook and clean the castle. They do students laundry and change their bedsheets and clean their rooms."

"They sound like slaves," Sam spoke.

"They are. I spent years trying to get them to accept payment and days off, they won't do it. Apparently they're happy working their arses off every hour of every day. If you even mention freedom or payment they burst into tears and punish themselves," she scowled. "Let's move to the next floor." She led them out of the kitchens and to the stairs on the second floor, pointing out the classrooms and portraits before leading them to the next floor. "Quickly, step on and hold on."

"Why?" Paul asked but he was soon answered when the stairs shuddered and then moved. "The stairs move?" He exclaimed and she laughed.

"Yes, I've been caught out a few times when I wasn't paying attention. We'll get off here and wait for the next flight to come to us." They stepped off when she told them to and then stepped onto the next flight of stairs. "The Ravenclaw common room and dorm rooms are on this floor somewhere, but my favourite room was the library, in you go." She opened the door for them and they stepped inside.

"Shit," Paul cursed. "I thought your library was overcrowded, this takes the biscuit."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "No one is sure how many books are in here, not even the librarian, though it's estimated to be around ninety thousand." They whistled in surprise. "I know you don't really care for books, so onto the next floor." She took them on every floor before they finally reached the seventh floor, but they ran into some trouble when Hermione was pelted by a water balloon.

"PEEVES!" She yelled. The ghost cackled before blowing a raspberry and waving his bum in her face and then he darted off around the corner after seeing her enraged expression. "I'M GETTING THE BLOODY BARON!" She called after him. Hearing laughter, she spun to see the three shifters sniggers, their smiles dropping when she growled at them. Pulling her wand, she muttered a Drying Charm, running a hand through her hair and pushing it over her shoulder. "Bloody nuisance poltergeist," she grumbled. "You'd think after years of being here he would grow up, but no, he gets worse." She walked away from them and they sniggered, following after her. "This is my favourite floor, Gryffindor common room and dorm rooms are on this floor, the girls slept in the tower," she grinned. "I can't show you the common room because I don't know the password, but I want to show you something amazing."

She led them down several hallways until she came to a dead end.

"There's nothing here," Sam frowned.

"Yet," she smirked. She paced back and forth three times before a door appeared and she opened it, revealing an exact replica of her living room and they stepped inside, amazed.

"How?"

"This is the Room of Requirement. It will provide anything you need."

"Well, that's good because I _really_ need the bathroom," Paul joked and they all spluttered when the room suddenly changed into a men's bathroom and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I'll wait outside, we'll have to head back for dinner anyway." She took Teddy from Jared and then left the room, waiting for them in the corridor and when they emerged they made their way back down to the great hall.

"I can't believe you grew up here, it's unbelievable," Jared commented.

"I know it is, I loved this place growing up, though it's tainted a little, what with everything I went through and the battle."

When they entered the hall everyone turned to look at them and it went silent but Hermione's eyes were searching for somewhere to sit, her eyes lighting up and a smile lit her face before she practically ran down the hall to the bottom of the Gryffindor table.

"Neville!" She exclaimed with a laugh.

The wizard in question looked up from the table and smiled at her, standing and ready to catch her when she jumped into his arms and he hugged her laughing before pulling back from her, his eyes examining her.

Neville had definitely grown up and filled out since she'd last saw him. He was taller, standing at six foot with shaggy brown hair, light brown eyes and he had a slightly muscled figure. Hermione heard a growl and turned to see Sam looking less than impressed.

"Neville, this is Sam, Jared and Paul. Boys, this is Neville, remember? I told you about him."

"The one that killed the giant snake?" Jared spoke.

Neville grinned. "That's me, though now I'm a teaching assistant, one more year and I become a fully qualified professor of herbology." He shook their hands but he winced when Sam squeezed a little harder than necessary. Hermione sent him a warning look.

"That's wonderful news, Neville," she beamed. "How's Hannah?"

He gestured to the table and Hermione took a seat opposite with the boys taking seats beside her.

"She's good, she's taking over the Leaky Cauldron when Tom retires next year, we got engaged a couple of months ago."

"Congratulations," she said brightly.

"Thanks," he grinned. "So, what's the Hermione Granger doing now? Where'd you move to?"

"America, I've got a contract with St. Helena's."

"Of course you do, no one would dare turn down Hermione Granger, she's got a temper on her," he whispered to the boys conspicuously and Hermione huffed. "I've been on the receiving end of her wand before, not as fun as you would think." They laughed at him. "Though, you could be fooled judging by the number of times Ron and Harry have been hexed by her, they make it seem better than it actually is."

"I only hexed them if they _deserved_ it," she defended.

"What about Lavender and Ron?" He pointed out amusedly.

"They were practically shagging in the middle of the hallway, first years were walking past, not only did it burn my eyes, everyone else looked like they wanted to be sick, too. I was merely acting on others' wishes. It was a public service," she folded her arms over her chest stubbornly.

He smirked at her. "Of course, how about the time you turned his head into a pumpkin?"

"He deserved that, too, he pretty much called me a traitor and a slut for dating Viktor," she argued. Sam growled beside her and she silently patted his knee.

"If I remember correctly, I caught you and Fred in a few _conspicuous_ positions, too," he said innocently.

"Yes, but we were still fully clothed and we weren't shagging in the corridor."

"You weren't far off," he smirked.

"I like this guy," Paul cut in grinning and she glared at him.

"How's your sex life?" She asked Neville sweetly.

"Fine, thanks, yours?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Brilliant, thanks," she responded, him noticing her hand being held by Sam's.

"Does Ron know?"

"No,"

Neville laughed and shook his head. "I wish I could be there to see the reveal."

"George already has products that need testing."

Neville winced. "Been there myself," he shivered. "Word of warning?" He looked to the boys and they slowly nodded, sitting forward slightly. "When Hermione and Ron start arguing, you make sure that you're clear of the room or that you're at least standing behind her. Preferably next to someone who already has a shield up, Harry's your best option, what with battle training and now his Auror training, you won't get caught in the crossfire."

"It can't be that bad," Jared snorted.

"Trust me, it is, if I didn't know they'd been friends for years, I would think Hermione was genuinely trying to kill him."

They looked at Hermione and she smiled at them sweetly, they shivered and Neville laughed.

"What's for dinner, I'm starving?" Paul said just as food suddenly appeared on the table and they all blinked in shock.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, boys," Hermione smiled before taking Teddy back from Sam and gently waking him for dinner.

~000~000~000~

After dinner, Hermione took them outside and she showed them the Quidditch pitch before taking them to Hagrid's hut and introducing him to them. They spent an hour in his cabin before taking their leave and Hermione took them over to the Black Lake.

"The Giant Squid would usually be playing in the lake and splashing about but since it's frozen over, he's likely in hibernation, it's a shame, he loves a game of fet..." She trailed off when she saw the many gravestones up ahead, too many to count.

"This is where the fallen were buried," Hermione whispered, handing Teddy over to Jared and she walked forward with them slowly followed her but keeping back slightly, seeing as it was her reliving her memories.

"Colin Creevy, he was fifteen. Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, seventeen, they were my friends. Padma Patil, seventeen, my classmate. Ivan Lung, twelve, a first year that had gotten lost during the battle. So many died, so many died for a cause that never should've been needed. I spent a year travelling back in time, my time-turner was destroyed, I can't go back and prevent it all, even if I wanted to."

She summoned some fallen twigs from a large tree by the Black Lake and transfigured them into roses before duplicating them and levitating one each onto every gravestone. All except one.

She approached it, it being on the front row and dead centre.

"Fredrick Gideon Weasley, twenty," she whispered with tears falling down her face and she kissed the rose before crouching down and placing it on the gravestone.

Hearing a chuckle, her head lifted and her eyes widened and she gasped in surprise at what stood before her.

"Fred!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Tuesday 20th December 2005**

"Fred?" Hermione vaguely heard gasps and swearing behind her but she was numb to it.

The figure in front of her was undoubtedly her Fred. He was looking down at her, his turquoise eyes shining, his beaming smile wide, his red hair just as messy as she remembered it but the rest of him ghostly white.

"Fred?" She choked. "No! No, it can't be!" She fell backwards, landing on her arse, her hands catching her before she sprawled across the ground.

"You of all people know that it's possible, Angel," he spoke softly.

She shook her head vehemently and shuffled backwards, Fred stepping forward and kneeling down before her, his smile soft and eyes gazing at her lovingly. "You should be in the afterlife, you should be at peace," she whispered.

"I had some unfinished business." She stared at him blankly. "You, my unfinished business is helping you to move on."

"It's easier said than done."

"I know it is, Angel, I was waiting for you to return."

"I couldn't face it, if I did it meant it was real, that I really had lost you. I was a mess, Fred; I barely survived when I lost you. I love you so much."

He smiled at her. "I love you, Angel, and I always will. But you have a chance to be happy. That's all I want for you, I want for you to live life, to be happy and to be loved," his eyes flickered behind her to the three large figures staring in shocked silence. "You have that now. You have to let me go."

"I don't think I can," she sniffled.

"You're almost there, Angel, just one more step."

He held his hand out expectantly and her hand automatically flew up to her neck, gripping tightly to something the three shifters couldn't see. She sniffled before seeming to remove something from around her neck and with a wave of her wand they could see a silver chain dangling from her closed fist, a love heart pendant and an engagement ring swaying in the breeze.

"Should I give it to George?" She asked quietly.

"No, I want it with me forever," Fred replied softly. Hermione nodded and used her wand to dig a hole in the ground above Fred's grave, placing the necklace and ring into it before covering it again. "There, now I'll always have your love with me."

She let out a sob-laugh. "That was cheesy."

"You love it," he grinned knowingly. "I distinctly remember your reactions to those letters I sent you."

"You know of my love for literature and when you wrote so eloquently I couldn't help my response."

"I broke out a thesaurus just for you," he grinned.

"You know what a thesaurus is?" Her eyebrow arched.

"Yeah, I had to go to the Muggle World for it, the things I do for you, Angel," he said teasingly. "Hermione, you will never be alone. I will always be with you."

"Not always I hope," she attempted to joke and it worked because he laughed at her.

"No, I don't want to see you having sex with another man, after all, we all know he won't be able to compare to me, even if he is a wolf." Hermione laughed at him when Fred sent a wink to Sam's surprised expression. "But I will always be with you. When you laugh, I will be laughing with you. When you smile, I will be watching in awe of your beauty. You have always been beautiful and don't let anyone tell you any differently. When you are scared, I will be by your side to give you courage. I can be happy knowing that I'll still get to see you walk down the aisle in what is sure to be a beautiful gown that you'll look breathtaking in. But instead of being the one standing at the altar waiting for you, I'll be the one walking down the aisle with you. You won't have little redheaded Weasleys running around, rather it'll be little Uley pups." She gave a sob-laugh. "I am so proud of you and I will forever be proud."

"I promise you, Fred, I promise that I'll kill the bitch that took you from me."

Fred smiled sadly. "I know you will, but don't let the need for vengeance take over your life. If you get the chance to kill her, then do but don't go chasing her. Promise me, please promise me."

"Witch's oath," Hermione sniffled.

"That's my girl," he smiled before his attention moved from her and to the three shape-shifters stood a little ways back. "You'll look after her, promise me that you'll keep her safe, because if I see her in the afterlife long before her time is due, I'll make it my personal mission that you never have a restful night again."

Sam stared down at him unflinchingly, dark eyes meeting turquoise. "She's my imprint," his deep voice rumbled the only answer he thought necessary.

"No, that's not the answer I wanted," Fred replied, from intimidated and it showed in his unwavering gaze.

"I promise I'll protect her," Sam replied after a moment of tense silence.

"We all will," Jared promised, his concerned gaze darting between him and Hermione.

Fred appraised them for a moment before turning his eyes back at Hermione. "You sure know how to pick 'em, don't you?" Hermione laughed and reached up, wiping away her tears with the backs of her hands. "I can't wait to be there when Ron finds out, of course, I'll be watching. I can't miss Ronnikins getting his arse handed to him by not only my less handsome twin but my beautiful Angel, too, Don't hold back."

"Never, it's not in my nature," she vowed.

"Don't I know it," he grinned and wriggled his eyebrows.

She laughed. "Any requests?"

"Well, that time you turned his head into a pumpkin was brilliant," he chuckled. "How 'bout the classics, I've always had a soft spot for a Hermione classic?"

" _Avis_ and Bat Bogey? I think I can manage that," she smiled slightly.

He smiled softly. "Goodbye, Angel, I'll forever love you," he spoke, moving forward to kiss her forehead, a gasp of surprise falling from her lips when she felt a cold softness against her skin. That shouldn't have been possible!

"I'll always love you, Fred."

"I believe you, but you love someone else now and that's fine, there's no need to hold back. You have my blessing, who do you think was the one to tell you to go on a date with him? I mean honestly, 'freeze-my-arse-off England over to I'm-sure-to-lose-a-nut-due-to-frostbite La Push'. Did you really think George came up with that on his own? Besides being the most handsome twin, I'm the smartest and funniest twin, too."

Hermione smiled at him. "I'll never forget you."

"Just as I can never forget you. Tell your children of me?"

"How could I not?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I am awesome, aren't I?" He puffed his chest out arrogantly and she laughed as he rose to full height and slowly backed away from her. "Goodbye, Angel."

"Goodbye, Fred," she whispered, unable to take her eyes from him even when he slowly started to fade away before there was nothing, the last thing she saw being the shine of his turquoise eyes and his mischievous smile.

Her eyes closed tightly and tears fell down her cheeks as she doubled over on herself, the three shifters watching in complete devastation as she cried for what felt like hours before she emotionally wore herself out. Silently, Sam passed a sleeping Teddy over to Paul and approached Hermione, settling her into his arms before cradling her against him as he stood to his feet. She didn't speak or acknowledge his presence, the only sign that she was still aware of her surroundings being that she wrapped her arms around his neck. They slowly navigated their way back to the castle and thankfully they stumbled upon a student in the entrance courtyard, the young wizard leading them Professor McGonagall's office.

Within minutes of arriving, the stone gargoyle moved, revealing a staircase and after sharing a glance, they climbed the stone steps, the door opening for them when they reached the top. Stepping into the office, their eyes darted about the neatly organised space, the many books and the dozens and dozens of portraits.

"Oh dear, what happened?" McGonagall quickly approached, a look of concern etched onto her wrinkled face.

"She saw Fred," Jared answered quietly, his eyes on Hermione.

Her expression softened. "Yes, he's been waiting for her to return here for a long while. She wouldn't let him go unless she had closure and now that she has that, she'll be less withdrawn from you."

"What do you know?" Sam asked her warily.

She smiled, which he assumed she didn't do often. She had that strict look about her, like she would give you a detention for dropping a ruler or getting up to sharpen a pencil.

"I know everything. Forgive Severus, he has a big mouth, surprising since he was a spy for close to twenty years," she chuckled. "I suspect you would like to return home. Do you know how to use the floo network?"

"Yes, it's how we got here."

"Do you know the address?" She asked and they looked to each other before shaking their heads. "It's Quileute Den." They arched their eyebrows. "I had no say in the matter, I only assume it has some significance to her, but you best be on your way."

~000~000~000~

It was later than they expected it to be when they stepped out of the floo and into Hermione's house, the clock on the wall showing it to be closer to eleven.

"I'll put Hermione to bed and I'll start patrols, I'll wake you when I get back," Sam said. "You put Teddy to bed."

Paul and Jared nodded before heading upstairs, putting Teddy to bed before going to their own rooms and Sam took Hermione to her bedroom, removing her clothing but leaving her in her t-shirt and after covering her with a blanket, with one final glance he left for patrols.

~000~000~000~

**Wednesday 21st December 2005**

It was just after three o'clock in the morning when Sam returned from patrols and after waking Paul and Jared, he headed to Hermione's bedroom, quickly stripping down to his underwear and climbing under the covers.

"I love you."

Sam's entire body froze, being in a partial sitting position as his eyes darted to Hermione and his hand still gripped the blanket, it being pulled over him only halfway. The mattress shifter as Hermione slowly turned to face him, her eyes still a little red and puffy and her cheeks marked with tearstains. Had she been awake since he left?

"I love you," she repeated, quickly continuing when he saw his mouth drop open and his breath hitching. "I've loved you long before I knew you were my mate, I've loved you long before our first date. I've loved you since the day I met you. Fred was right, I was holding back but now that I know he's not mad at me for loving someone else, I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm not going to hide parts of myself away from you, that's not fair to you and you've been nothing but amazing and understanding. So, I promise, no more holding back. I love you."

His eyes slowly trailed her face before he sighed, reaching out and tugging her closer to him as he made himself comfortable, Hermione pressing her head against his shoulder and her arm hooking over his stomach, her hand pressed over his heart, feeling the heat of his skin and the thumping of his heartbeat.

"I love you, too," he confessed, feeling her smile pulling at her mouth. "I'll admit, it was hard for me to see you that way, to see you so broken up over another guy but I had to see it; it helped me to understand the bond the two of you shared. I know that I can never replace Fred or what he was to you but I promise to be everything you need me to be."

"I need you to be you, no one else. I need Sam, the man with a sweet tooth worse than mine. Sam, the man that looks at me and doesn't see enough baggage to fill a dumpster truck. Sam, the man that makes me happy, that makes me laugh and smile, the man that is my future. The man that I love. That's all I need you to be, don't you dare be anything else."

"Not when I have you to keep me in line."

"Forever," she promised.

"Forever," he agreed.

"You know, Jared mentioned that you have decelerated ageing as long as you keep phasing." He hummed in both agreement and question. "Well, I kind of do, too. Witches and wizards on average live to about two hundred." He looked down at her in surprise before chuckling and shaking his head. _Of course, they did_ , he thought. "The man in the book store, how old would you say he looked?"

"The man behind the counter? I'd say maybe his eighties."

"Nope, he was two hundred and nine. As I said, we average two hundred, some live longer, but werewolves... There's rumours that some have lived double that, something do with our mutated genes slowing the ageing process and we're known for being less susceptible to magical spells."

"What does that mean?"

"Basically, magic affects me differently. If I were to hit Harry with a _Reducto_ , he'd be thrown across the room but if he were to reciprocate with the same spell, the chances are I'll barely move. I'm less fragile," she shrugged, silence falling between them for a short while but neither of them appeared to be ready to sleep. "Sammy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you want to move in with me?" His wider than usual eyes snapped to her in surprise. "You're here every day anyway; most days you're having three meals here, even when you have a job. You spend more time here than you do at your own place; when was the last time you were even there?" She mused thoughtfully. "I want you around me for as long as possible and when you sleep next to me, I don't have nightmares."

"Nightmares?" He frowned.

"Memories of the war, I see every death I witnessed on a loop, their faces go through my mind and blame me for their deaths because I didn't and couldn't save them. When it's not that, it's memories of being captured and tortured but your presence, it keeps them away and I can sleep."

He kissed her forehead and without thought, he said, "I'll pack everything up tomorrow and we can move my stuff in."

She beamed up at him and tilting her head to chastely kiss him before settling back down against him and he chuckled.

"I was thinking of asking Paul and Jared to move in, too. You don't mind do you?" She nibbled her lip nervously.

He shrugged his shoulders the best he could, not wanting to disturb her when she was comfortable. "Doesn't bother me, they're here just as much as I am and it's your house."

" _Our_ house," she corrected. "And that's what I was thinking, they're here so often they've already claimed their own bedrooms." He chuckled because he knew it to be true. "They're here when you are, sometimes when you're not. I don't like the thought of Paul staying in the same house as that arsehole he calls a father, it's not a healthy environment for him. He needs to be around his pack, around people that will care for him, not belittle him. Maybe his anger issues will improve with him being in a less volatile environment," she shrugged and he nodded in agreement. "And Jared, I can see that his relationship with his mother is strained. Who leaves their son to visit their brother? You take him with you, he comes to you or you don't go at all. It doesn't matter that he's eighteen, he's still on his own for Christmas and that's wrong. He would be happier here, where he could be himself. Where he can be with his pack and be around magic, something that interests him. And can you imagine the impact it will have on Teddy? He'll have all of you around, he'll have male figures in his life that he can count on and trust, not that Harry isn't one, of course, but you'll all be here for him full-time."

"If you asked them, I don't think they'd turn you down. You're their Alpha and their family, they love you."

"I just want all of my boys to be together and to be safe and happy."

~000~000~000~

That morning after Hermione had made breakfast and everyone convened around the breakfast bar, Hermione was acting nervously and after she dropped her fork for the third time, Paul couldn't take it any longer.

"Hermione, what is it?"

"Huh?" She looked up at him, drawing her gaze from her plate and to him.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," she muttered.

Paul snorted. "Nothing my ass, what's got you all fidgety, it's unnerving?"

"Do you want to move in?" She spoke so quickly he words jumbled together and they stared at her blankly. "It's just, you eat here all the time and we're pack and we should be together. You've stayed here the last few nights and we already have a routine, you don't have to worry about your parents and you've been really good for Teddy and I like having my boys under one roof... Never mind, forget I said anything," she muttered, picking up her fork and pushing her food around her plate.

"When do we move in?"

Hermione's head snapped up. "What?"

"When do we move in?" He repeated.

"Are you being serious?"

"No."

Her face fell before they burst into laughter and she threw some bacon at them, Paul and Jared easily catching it and setting it on their own plates.

"Of course, we were being serious," Jared shook his head at her.

"Yeah?" She smiled happily. "We can go to your homes after breakfast and pack. I'll use magic and have it done less than twenty minutes." Paul and Jared shared a grin before the latter pulled his phone from his pocket. "What're you doing?" Hermione asked him.

"Calling, Mom, with the time difference, she should be up by now."

"You can't do that around me."

"Why not? Come to think of it, why don't you have a cell phone?"

"There's a barrier around Hogwarts that prevents muggles from finding it. Where we see a castle, they see an abandoned mine. Anything that runs on electricity or radio waves automatically shuts off. Radars, mobile phones, radios, microwaves. It's all affected by magic. Magic and electricity don't mix."

"But you have loads of electrical items," he pointed out, pointedly looking to the fridge and the other appliances in the kitchen.

"Do I? I only have my kitchen appliances and the TV and games consoles in the family room. Both of which I have warded with protection spells to prevent magic from interfering, though I have to cast them once a week, otherwise, they'd wear off and everything in the kitchen and family room would more than likely explode. You won't get a signal near me, you'll have to do it outside." He looked surprised at the news but shrugged, standing from his stool leaving out the door. "Well then, we'll finish breakfast and get dressed and then we can get you all packed up."

"All?" Paul arched an eyebrow knowingly.

"Sam's moving in, too," she answered. Paul smirked. "Don't say it."

"Say what?" He asked innocently.

"Whatever lewd comment's going through your twisted mind."

~000~000~000~

After spending the morning travelling Sam's, Paul's and Jared's homes and packing their belongings, they'd soon returned to the house, Hermione quickly getting to work on placing Enlargement Charms on Paul and Jared's wardrobes and enlarging their beds to better accommodate their larger frames. She'd left them to unpack their own belongings before she turned her attention to helping Sam with his unpacking, it mainly being a few photos of his mother and him as a child, which she'd enlarged and framed, placing them downstairs, much to his embarrassment and with Jared and Paul laughing for a good ten minutes before Hermione threw a cushion at them. When that was done, she stepped into her closet, quickly rearranging everything inside so that Sam could place his own clothing on the left side whilst hers remained on the right, not that he had many mind.

"Do all your clothes get destroyed when you phase?" She asked him, looking to the few t-shirts he was hanging on the rack.

"Yes, we have to keep a second set with us for when we change back," he shrugged.

She frowned thoughtfully. "I'm sure there's a spell I can use. If I put it on all of your clothes, they'll change with you instead of being destroyed. When an Animagus shifts, they take their clothes with them; I don't see why you can't. I'll have to do some research," she nodded decidedly. He chuckled at her before he moved over to her and pulled her into his arms. "All done?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah, everything's unpacked," he grinned. "What should we do about my place?"

"Keep it," she shrugged. "It can be your man cave." He arched an amused eyebrow. "Charlie Weasley assures me that all men need a man cave." He laughed at her. "Welcome home, Mr. Uley."

"It's good to be home, Miss. Granger," he grinned down at her before he kissed her.

~000~000~000~

"Okay, boys, house rules."

"Oh, come on," Paul groaned. "We've barely put our toothbrushes in the bathroom and we already have rules?"

"Yes," she said with narrowed eyes, her hands settling on her hips as she stared down at them. He and Jared were sat on the couch, Teddy sat in-between them and turning the pages in a book whilst Sam was sat on the armchair, watching Hermione in amusement as she stood before the two teens. Paul cleared his throat and sat straighter, making Sam smirk. "We have house rules and they're very simple. Rule number one, don't bring girls back here. You can shag them all you want, but you can't do it here. This is the only place where I don't have to suppress my magic, where I don't have to hide who I am and this is the only place where you can be who you are without judgement. I don't want to have to lock my lab, library or charm my moving photos for the sake of you shagging someone you'll ignore the next day. It's disrespectful not only me and Teddy but to the rest of your pack, too."

"Okay, no bringing girls back," Paul agreed, knowing that rule was mainly for him rather than Jared.

"Rule number two, we don't lie to each other. If there is something bothering you, you will tell me and I will help in any way I can. If you're not happy here, I want to know so that I can fix it. Your happiness and comfort means more to me than you realise. You are my pack, my family and if something is upsetting you, I want to know. Take it from me, it's better if you tell me, I'll be more hurt if I have to find out for myself."

"Okay, no lying to you." Jared agreed and Paul nodded.

"Rule number three, please remember rules one and two."

"No girls and no lying," Paul repeated.

"That's it, they're your only rules," Hermione spoke.

"What about you?" Paul smirked, his eyes darting between her and Sam. "We don't exactly want to see you 'shagging' each other either, it's bad enough seeing it through the mind link," he grimaced, his body visibly shivering. She didn't know if she should be offended or not.

"You won't see us and you won't hear us, either. There are spells that allow me to put a barrier around a room so that no noise can break through but it's only one-sided. You can't hear us but we can still hear everything that's happening in the house," she informed them and they both looked relieved. "Any more requests?" They shook their heads. "Oh, before I forget, the books in the library, if any of them make you feel tingly, like you have pins and needles or they visibly vibrate, don't touch them."

"Why?" Jared asked warily.

"Those books are warded because they either have the potential to hurt you or kill you," she replied with a sweet smile, Sam bursting into laughter at their horrified expressions.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Wednesday 21st December 2005**

After they’d sat for lunch, Hermione’d decided she’d wish to take a walk along the beach as it was forecast for snow the next day, and the boys had decided to tag along, so after Hermione and Teddy had wrapped up warm and the boys were fine in just their t-shirts, they set out on the walk walked down the beach, Teddy running in front of them and sometimes falling over before getting back up and continuing on unsteady feet.

“So, are you going back to Hogwarts on Christmas Eve?” Jared asked her.

“Yes, Severus confirmed it with Minerva and we can do the tests on the grounds.”

“Can I come?”

“You just want to be nosy,” she snorted.

“Yeah,” he didn’t bother to deny it.

She rolled her eyes. “If you wish to but you’ll have to stay out of the way. We don’t know how my magic will react now that I’m bonded, when I cast my Patronus I was surprised at the backlash of power I felt, so it should be interesting.”

“How will you test it?”

“I don’t know, that’s up to Severus.”

They continued to walk further down the beach with Jared picking up Teddy and putting him on his shoulders, jogging over the sand with the little boy laughing and squealing loudly and Hermione was tucked into Sam’s side, smiling at the sight. Since moving to La Push and meeting the three shifters, Teddy had never been happier.

“PAUL!”

They all halted in their steps, turning to see a girl running towards them. Paul groaned and ran a hand over his face in exasperation and Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she approached. She was thin, _very_ thin and smaller than her, maybe five-foot-three, her blonde hair was curled and her face covered in so much makeup, Hermione wasn’t sure if she was trying to impersonate a clown or not. She wasn’t dressed correctly for the weather either; heeled knee-high boots, a short leather skirt and a thin tank top that left nothing to the imagination. Hermione felt chills run through her just looking at her, how the bloody hell wasn’t she cold?

Paul muttered under his breath before reluctantly walking forward to meet her.

“Melanie,” Jared shivered, coming up beside her and Sam. “She’s one of the crazies.”

Hermione’s eyes narrowed into slits when Melanie threw her arms around Paul’s neck and placed a kiss to his cheek before trying to kiss him. He was quick to pull away from her before she could, tugging her hands away from him and stepping back when she moved forward. Hermione wasn’t ashamed that she deliberately listened into their conversation, knowing Jared and Sam were doing the same.

“Paul, I’ve missed you, I’ve been calling and texting but you never answered. I was thinking that we should have dinner and then afterwards dessert,” she shamelessly pushed out her chest.

Hermione had a feeling stirring in her chest and she didn’t like it, so she slowly made her way over to Paul with Sam and Jared following behind curiously. She was up to something, they’d seen that look on her face before.

“Look, Melanie, we fucked, that’s it. I don’t want a relationship, I’m not that type of guy. I like sex without all the attachments. There’s nothing between us and there will never be, please leave me alone and move onto your next victim.”

She gasped in outrage. “Are you calling me a slut?”

“You’re words not mine,” he shrugged.

Before anyone had seen it coming, her hand came up and aimed for Paul’s face but it didn’t make contact as Hermione’s hand blocked it, catching the girl’s wrist with an audible ‘smack’ when their skin came into contact. Melanie looked surprised before her eyes snapped to Hermione and she assessed her, her eyes wandering over Hermione before glaring at her. She tried to pull her hand back but Hermione’s grip was unrelenting and she tightened her grip, the younger teen wincing slightly.

“Oh, I see, you’ve got yourself a new slut,” she said nastily, her glare darting between her and Paul.

Hermione heard Sam growl behind her and she reached out with her free hand, feeling Sam take it and some of the tension leaving him.

“Actually, I already have a boyfriend. I love Paul, but the thought of him in a sexual manner repulses me.”

“Thanks, I think,” Paul mumbled. Jared laughed loudly and removed Teddy from his shoulders before setting him on his hip.

“Let’s get one thing clear,” Hermione’s voice was strong, clear and a little cold. It was frightening. “I don’t appreciate anyone hurting my boys, they’re very important to me and if anyone wrongs them, I sure as hell won’t stand by and allow them to get hurt. I’m known for being quite vengeful and I’m very creative in the way I get my revenge. Paul doesn’t appreciate your advances, he’s made that clear, and now I’m making it clear. Leave him alone.” Hermione released her wrist, shoving her backwards a little.

They never expected her to try and slap Hermione, but Hermione had seen it coming and effortlessly caught her wrist, pulling Melanie towards her before twisting her arm around her back and pushing so that she was forced to the ground on her knees, her back to them and a cry of pain falling from her lips.

Hermione bent at the waist, putting her mouth close to the teen’s ear as she said, “This is my last warning, leave Paul alone and don’t attempt to contact him again. Spread the word, unless Paul specifically tells you that he wants to see you again, you leave him alone and you go your separate ways. He’s only interested in sex and although he’s easy on the eyes and can be very charming, you’re an idiot if you think you can change his mind, he makes it clear that he’s only interested in a one-time thing. Now go, and don’t let me see you attempting to hurt any of my boys again, you’re getting off lightly; you have no idea of Who I am or what I’m capable of,” she growled, her eyes flashing amber.

She released her hold on her and stepped away, Melanie stumbling to her feet and spinning to stare at her fearfully with her form visibly shaking; from fear or cold? It was probably both.

“And for God’s Sake, put some clothes on, you’ll catch a cold, I feel cold just looking at you. You should wipe that crap off your face, too, I’m not sure if you intended to look like a clown or not, but you do.”

Melanie shot her a look of terror before she turned and ran down the beach, looking back over her shoulder until they were too far in the distance to be nothing but dots. Satisfied, Hermione turned around to see Sam, Jared and Paul all staring at her in surprise, their mouths parted and eyes wide. They hadn’t even looked that surprised when they’d seen Diagon Alley or Hogwarts for the first time.

“What?” Hermione asked innocently.

“Fucking hell,” Paul muttered, his eyes never leaving her before he gave his had a shake, a proud, impressed expression settling on his face.

“Yeah, Hermione, you’re _terrifying_ ,” Jared agreed.

“You’re my boys, I told you that I don’t like the thought of someone hurting you, I knew she was going to and so I intervened.”

“You more than intervened,” Jared laughed. “Paul shouldn’t have any problems with girls getting any ideas now.”

“That was the whole point of my warning,” she shrugged.

“If you’re like this with a girl, I hate to think what you’d be like if one of us gets scuffed when taking out a parasite.”

Her eyes flashed amber and they gulped.

“You don’t want to know what I’d do.”

“I believe you,” Paul nodded in agreement. He _really_ didn’t.

When Hermione’s eyes returned to chocolate brown the two teens sighed in relief but Sam hadn’t yet spoken and she turned her attention to him, noticing the _very_ heated gaze he had locked on her and she felt her breath hitch in response.

“We need to talk,” his deep voice rumbled and she couldn’t look away from him.

“Seriously?” Paul laughed. “That turned you on? It was fucking frightening.”

Sam ignored his comment. “You’re watching Teddy for the rest of the day,” he said before taking Hermione’s hand and dragging her away from them, down the beach and back towards the house.

“See you in five minutes!” Paul yelled after them. Sam growled loudly and she heard Paul and Jared laughing.

“Where are we going?” She asked amused. His eyes cut to hers and they’d darkened considerably, she felt her heartbeat pick up as she struggled to determine between his iris and pupil.

“You know _exactly_ where we’re going.”

Before she knew it they had reached the house, the door was unlocked and they were stumbling through the door, their mouths latched together and hands wandering and gripping at each other. Hermione’s coat soon found its way to the floor and her back hit against the breakfast bar before Sam lifted her and deposited her on the surface, stepping in-between her legs which promptly found their way around his hips.

Hermione let out a mewling sound when Sam’s hands slipped under her t-shirt and his mouth fell to her neck, her hands gripping his t-shirt before pulling it over his head and dropping it to the floor. Hermione’s t-shirt soon followed and Sam’s mouth followed the exploration of his hands whilst her hands raked down his chest and back, causing him to growl and push himself against her. His hands reached for her jeans, undoing the button and zip.

“Not here,” Hermione gasped. “We...we...have to...to be respect...ful,” She moaned.

“Fine,” Sam growled, picking her up and walking out of the kitchen.

“Not in the living room either... Or the family room... Definitely not my library.”

She knew he was getting impatient when he walked them up the stairs and he kicked their bedroom door open, Hermione letting out a breathless laugh which was soon silenced when her back hit the wall and his mouth latched onto hers. Her hands slipped into his hair and tugged, daring him to pull away from her but she was the first to draw back, feeling as though she were about to combust if he wasn’t inside of her within the next few moments. He seemed to have the same idea as his hands moved to her jeans, realising he couldn’t get them off her unless he put her down, which he didn’t want to do.

Hermione’s teeth tugged at Sam’s earlobe, pulling a rumbled growl from him. “Wand... My boot,” she whispered before kissing his throat and nipping at his jaw.

She felt his hands trail down her sides, over her arse before giving a little squeeze and she bucked her hips, they travelled down her clothing-clad legs before reaching her boots and she felt him patting them down until he made a little noise of triumph, plucking her wand from her boot and blindly handing it to her. Her hand fumbled before gripping it and with a wave of twist of her wrist and a whispered incantation, Hermione had them both completely divested of clothing. The temperature of the room hit them both, making their already sensitised skin tingle and shiver.

“I really love magic,” Sam muttered against her neck and she gave a little laugh which turned into a moan when he bit down on her shoulder.

With little effort, they lined themselves up and Sam slowly entered Hermione and she released a long, drawn out moan, her head falling back against the wall with Sam gripping her hips and a growl falling from his mouth. Soon after, Sam had Hermione’s hands pinned above her head, her back arching off the wall and into him as he pistoned in and out of her, her back hitting the wall with every thrust of his hips and breathless moans catching in her throat.

When Hermione clamped down on him, she let out a cry that was muffled by Sam’s mouth upon hers and he tensed all his muscles, powering through her climax, holding his own relief back, determined to give her a second orgasm. One large hand held both of her small wrists against the wall whilst the other trailed down her, over her neck and chest, down her stomach and back up before his hand covered one of her breasts. He leaned back slightly, the new angle allowing him to move deeper inside her and with every thrust he nudged her nub, giving her too much pleasure to handle.

Her skin was on fire, he could feel it against his own. He could feel her body shaking and her walls fluttering around him before a growl ripped from the back of Hermione’s throat and her walls suddenly clamped down around him. Hermione pushed herself away from the wall and into him and her teeth sunk into his shoulder, right over his mark and he hissed in surprise when he felt the skin break but a wave of pleasure unlike he’d ever felt crashed through him and he was powerless to stop it as he found his completion and he felt Hermione fall against him. Her breathing erratic, her hair stuck to the back of her neck, mouth shaped bruises forming on her neck and chest, her lips swollen and her face flushed - a beautiful sight indeed. If he bothered to look in the mirror he would see his hair standing up at odd angles, his shoulder with a few blood drops surrounding it and his breathing just as uncontrolled as hers.

He moved them over to their bed, collapsing on it with Hermione draped over his chest and his arms folded around her possessively, keeping her to him. He shivered when he felt her licking and lapping at his bite mark before she nuzzled him, a growl falling from him as he felt fire flaring up in him, his erection slowly beginning to make a comeback at the attention she was paying to his mark. That was something he hadn’t been expecting.

“Will you do that every time?” He asked, his voice huskier than she’d expected.

“It’s likely, it’s my wolf, she needs to feel that connection to you, she needs to remind herself that you belong to her, just as much as she is yours. She’s very possessive of you, if another woman even thinks about coming on to you in front of me, well, it’ll be interesting, to say the least. What I did to Melanie would hardly compare to what I’d do to her.”

Her reminder of her fierce protectiveness of him and the pack only seemed to cause the flaring fire within him to burst and he let out a growl, promptly putting her on her back and looming over her.

She moaned and shifted to better accommodate his large frame when his erection nudged her.

“ _Already_?” She questioned in surprise.

“We’re only getting started, we have until Jared and Paul bring Teddy back. All the time in the world,” he grinned down at her and she laughed before she was silenced by his mouth crashing to hers.

~000~000~000~

Later that evening, everyone was sitting around the dinner table eating the pizza they’d ordered in since Hermione hadn’t had the energy to cook, Jared and Paul teasing her about her afternoon activities with Sam until she threatened to turn their hair pink for a week. It shut them up quickly.

“So, Jared, did you get a hold of you mother?” Hermione asked him.

“No, straight to voicemail, I left a few messages but she hasn’t gotten back to me yet,” he frowned.

Hermione had always known that his relationship with his mother was strained and had been since his father had died when he was a pre-teen. From what she’d pieced together, Jared was a spitting double of his father and it had hit his mother hard, her barely being able to look at him as he grew older and more like his father. Hermione could relate somewhat, the same had happened to her and George when Fred had died but Fred hadn’t been her son.

Seeing the way his strained relationship with his mother affected Jared always hurt her, especially when she knew they used to be really close. Silently, she stood from her chair and rounded the table, coming to a stop behind his chair and she bent down, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his shoulder.

“I love you, you know that, right?” She said softly, all conversation stopping as Sam and Paul turned their eyes to them. “Don’t forget that your family is here, right in front of you. I love you and Sam and Paul love you, too, don’t you, boys?” She darted her eyes to them and they stared at her. “Don’t you, boys?” She echoed, her glare fierce and a growl breaking into her voice. They mumbled their replies and she felt a small smile pull at his cheeks, with her cheek being pressed against his. “See, Sam and Paul love you. Teddy?” She called and he looked up from his plate. “How much do we love Uncle Jared?”

Teddy grinned before turning his hair black, his eyes dark brown and his skin russet and then he opened his arms wide; it was a game Hermione had recently started playing with him.

“That’s right,” she unwrapped her arms from his neck and opened them wide like Teddy’s. “This much,” she spoke, and he clapped his hands together before reaching for a slice of pizza and shoving it in his mouth, Sam quickly wrestling it free lest he choke. They all laughed and she knew Jared likely had a shy smile on his face. “We love you, Jared, don’t you ever forget that and you’ll always have a home here.”

“Thanks, Hermione,” he spoke shyly.

“That’s what I’m here for, to make you happy and to make you feel better when you feel rubbish.”

She pressed a kiss to his cheek and stepped back, pausing in her steps back to her won chair when she saw Paul’s frown and she crept up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting his chin on his shoulder, one of his hands coming up to hold her forearm gently.

Paul’s father was an alcoholic arsehole and he’d had no interest in him from the moment he was born. He’d gotten Paul’s mother pregnant and then married her out of responsibility but he’d despised them both. He’d always had a drinking problem but Paul’s mother had died when he was only six and it had triggered something awful in his father. From that day, Paul received more abuse and beatings than any child deserved. Once was unacceptable, continuous abuse deserved punishment. Hermione had been trying to get Paul away from his father for months. Whilst he may not have told her everything, she knew the signs of abuse. She just grateful he was finally with her, in a safe and loving environment and she would do everything in her power to make up for the damage his father had done. And if he ever showed up at her front door, her response would be far from kind.

“We love you, too, Paul. I don’t care what anyone says, you’re a good person and you deserve the best in life. Don’t let him control you. You’re free from him now and there’s nothing he can do about it. You’re safe here; I would never let anyone hurt you, I promise. Teddy? How much do we love Uncle Paul?”

He still hadn’t changed his appearance back to normal and so he still looked like the boys, he giggled and held his arms out again, as wide as they could go.

“Ball!” He squealed happily.

She felt a smile pull at Paul’s mouth and his hand squeezed her arm gently. She had a feeling that was the first time he had ever been told those three words and she would make sure he would hear them often.

“See? Trust the Metamorphmagus and the witch, we’re always right.”

He chuckled at her and she kissed his cheek before pulling away and moving back to her chair, sitting beside Teddy in his booster seat.

Sam reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze and when she looked up at him she saw the soft look on his face and her eyes locked with his. They didn’t have to say the words, their eyes spoke for them.

Paul cleared his. “Okay, enough chick flick moments, let’s get back on topic, who’d win in a fight, us or a dragon?”

Hermione snorted. “Dragon,” she spoke at the same time the three shifters said, “Us.”

They all looked at her in betrayal.

“Come on, we’re fast, we’re strong, we have amazing sight, smell and hearing. We turn into _giant_ wolves,” Paul argued.

Hermione smirked and drew her hand back from Sam’s, reaching for her glass of soda. “Yes, but, even the smallest dragons are at least twelve feet tall. They have impenetrable skin, claws sharp enough to cut you in half, they have wings that not only allow them to fly but that will shatter every bone in your body if hit by it and most importantly, they breathe _fire_.”

“Fine, you win that one,” she begrudgingly agreed.

“It wasn’t even a competition, you’d get roasted, literally.” They laughed at her.

“Okay then, us or a mermaid?” Jared asked.

“Mermaid,” she answered without thought.

“Why?”

“Can you breathe underwater?” She cocked an eyebrow.

“Mermaid wins,” he nodded, pulling a laugh from her.

“Us or a werewolf,” Paul smirked.

“That’s a tricky one. On any day other than the full moon, I’d say you. But on the full moon, if you’re not on the Wolfsbane Potion, you’re one hundred percent wolf. A wild animal that survives on instinct. We’re smaller than you, more agile so it’d be hard for you to shake us. I once saw a werewolf climb a tree,” she shrugged. “We’re vicious, we fight to the death. An Alpha werewolf would be even more difficult, they’re usually bigger, stronger, faster and a better fighter than regular werewolves. A muggle wouldn’t stand a chance, put it that way. You’re lucky I didn’t hurt any of you during the full moon, if it wasn’t for the potion or the fact that I recognised your scents and Sam as my mate, it wouldn’t have been pretty.”

“So, we’ll say a tie,” Jared nodded.

“Us or a vampire?” Sam asked with a smirk.

“You of course,” Hermione spoke with a snort, giving him a look that all but said he was stupid for even having to ask and the others puffed their chests out in pride, causing her to laugh.

“Us or a pixie?”

“Pixie,” Hermione said as Paul and Jared both said, “Us.”

Their eyes narrowed as they stared each other down and Sam chuckled, giving his head a shake as he handed Teddy his sippy-cup.

It was going to be a long night.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 8

**Hogwarts - Saturday 24th December 2005**

Hermione floo’d into Professor McGonagall’s office with Sam, Paul and Jared following behind her, Teddy being carried by Paul.

“Hermione,” she greeted with a smile, “It’s good to see you again.”

“And you as well, Minerva,” she smiled, being pulled into a hug by the Headmistress.

“I am eager to see the developments in your magic since your bonding.”

“As am I, I just want to be sure what parts of my spell casting are affected so I can be cautious when casting certain spells.”

“Completely understandable,” she nodded. “Messrs. Uley, Lahote, Cameron,” she greeted. They stared in surprised before they coughed.

“Professor,” they spoke in unison making Hermione chuckle.

“We have students staying during the holidays so they’ll be mulling around the castle, we will be completing the testing on the grounds by the Forbidden Forest, students are less likely to wander down there.”

“Of course, I’ll have to keep an eye on those two though,” Hermione nodded to Jared and Paul and they gave her innocent smiles.

“Trouble makers?”

“Oh, they’re a handful,” Hermione nodded and McGonagall chuckled.

“Shall we head down?”

“We shall, I suspect most of the students are still in bed,” Hermione laughed as they left her office, walking through the hallways and out of the castle towards the Forbidden Forest, seeing Severus was waiting for them by the trees.

“Hey, Severus,” she grinned. He gave a small smile before nodding to the boys who nodded back. Hermione conjured some chairs for them to sit in, making sure they were out of the way but still able to see. “So, what are we doing?”

“Wizard’s duel,” Severus answered.

Hermione froze. “Sev, I don’t think that’s a good idea, my battle instincts will kick in and I could hurt you.”

“Then I’ll have to be on top form, this is the best way to see how your magic has changed, how it responds in certain circumstances.”

“But...”

“No,” he cut her off before walking over to her and then turning his back to her, not giving her the chance to reply. She sighed in both annoyance and defeat.

McGonagall stood off to the side, next to the boys and they watched curiously.

“Boys, whatever happens stay there, don’t move. If you do, Minerva will have to use force.”

They raised an eyebrow at her before looking at McGonagall, her face blank and calm before they turned their eyes back at Hermione.

“On the count of three, you will take ten paces, bow to your opponent and take your stance. The duel will begin when the first spell has been cast. The winner of the duel is the one that incapacitates your opponent. This is not a traditional wizard’s duel, therefore you do not require a second. The rules, you must take ten paces, you must not use the Unforgivables, you must not use dark or illegal magic. You must not use hand to hand combat and finally, you must not leave the arena, you are to stay between myself and the Forbidden Forest,” McGonagall instructed. “Are these rules acceptable?”

“Yes,” they both answered.

“Very well, one, two, three...”

Hermione and Severus started opening the distance between them before they spun around and they bowed, their wands gripped tightly. Hermione saw the slightest twitch in Severus’ hand and she rolled to the side in time to dodge what looked to be a Slicing Hex. As she was getting up off the floor she had to cast a shield to prevent two Stinging Hexes from hitting her.

“ _Protego_ ,” she called. When the shield formed, instead of the transparent blue shield they were expecting, a clear blue shield appeared and blocked the hexes without incidence.

“Interesting,” McGonagall mused.

Hermione rose to her feet before sending off three spells of her own. “ _Impedimenta_ , _Flipendo_ , _Reducto_ ,” she called, the three beams of light heading straight for Severus and he conjured a shield. The first spell rebounded successfully, the second shattered the shield entirely and the third hit him, sending him flying backwards.

She heard the ‘thud’ as he landed on the thick snow and she winced in sympathy before running over to him, only Severus turned the snow into ice and Hermione slipped, giving a yelp as she fell to the ground, sliding across it on her back. She groaned and rolled out of the way of the _Incendio_ he sent towards her, it crashed into the snow, leaving a crater.

She cast the Disillusionment Charm on herself before standing and carefully moving on the ice; she couldn’t walk on the snow, her footprints would give away her position but then a stroke of genius hit her. She cast the Feather-light Charm on herself and then stepped on the snow, she didn’t leave footprints and she almost squealed in success but then had to duck the three Body-bind Curses heading her way.

“ _Confringo_ ,” she called. She had intended to just set the end of his robes on fire as a distraction, but his entire robe set ablaze and he had to shake out of it and leave it in the snow to stop himself from getting burnt. “ _Expelliarmus_ ,” she called but he deflected it.

“ _Stupefy_ ,” he responded with.

Whilst she was busy deflecting it, he cast a _Finite Incantatem_ and just as she became visible taking her by surprise, she was hit with a _Bombarda_ and she was thrown off her feet and before she hit the ground she sent an _Incendio_ towards him. She landed in the snow with a groan and she heard a growl and quickly got up, making sure that Sam was alright. Both Paul and Jared had a hand on his shoulder keeping him in place but their attention was on her and Severus, watching attentively.

“ _Rictumsempra_ ,” she called, when she noticed that Severus was getting up from the floor, obviously dodging the fireball she had sent at him rather than deflecting it.

He cast a shield and sent his signature curse, _Sectumsempra_ in return. She squeaked and dropped to the floor just in time for it to whizz over her head. Climbing to her feet, she hadn’t realised how close they’d gotten to one another until they began each other and when Severus passed under a tree, she saw her chance.

“ _Bombarda_ ,” she called.

Severus threw up a _Protego_ but he’d misjudged Hermione’s intentions and that had cost him the duel. She hadn’t aimed the spell at him but the tree. The spell slammed into the tree trunk and all of the snow that covered the branches fell as the tree shook violently, the older wizard tilting his head to look upwards as the snow slammed into him from above.

“ _Expelliarmus_ ,” she called and his wand was ripped from his grasp and Hermione caught it as he disappeared under the snow, panting heavily in exhaustion.

“Hermione wins the duel,” McGonagall spoke loudly.

With the duel being over, Hermione aimed her wand at the snow pile that Severus was trapped under and said, “ _Finestra_ ,” the snow pile suddenly shifting as a large hole appeared in the centre of it, creating a tunnel for Severus to climb through.

He looked less than impressed and McGonagall chuckled as Hermione gave him a sheepish smile when he glared at her as he rose to his feet, dusting himself off.

“I told you I didn’t think we should duel,” she spoke sheepishly.

Sudden raucous laughter sounded from behind her and she turned around to Paul and Jared holding their stomachs, almost falling off their chairs with laughter. Sam was chuckling and looked at her proudly whilst Teddy clapped and giggled.

“That... was the best... thing I’ve ever... seen,” Jared managed through his laughter.

“I think it served its purpose,” Severus drawled, spearing the laughing teens with a cold glare.

“Yes, indeed,” McGonagall nodded as Hermione gave Severus his wand back and he moved over to his robes that were still burning.

“Your magic is more potent,” he said, putting out the flames and sighing as he picked up his ruined robes.

“I’ll buy you new ones,” Hermione rolled her eyes. Honestly, it wasn’t her fault, not really anyway! Besides, she’d bought him those robes.

“Your _Protego_ ,” McGonagall drew her attention, “It was far stronger than it should have been, I would say it was the equivalent of a _Protego Totalum_ , which only makes me wonder what it would look like.”

Hermione shrugged. “We’ll see, _Protego Totalum_ ,” she frowned in confusion when nothing happened. “It didn’t work.”

“On the contrary,” Severus disagreed, “ _Sectumsempra_!”

Panic rose in her; that curse couldn’t be blocked and she was prepared to drop to the ground when the unexpected happened. It slammed into an invisible barrier, a foot between them. McGonagall made her way over to Hermione and when she was stood behind her she nodded to Severus.

“ _Sectumsempra_ ,” he called, just as McGonagall said, “ _Tempest_ ,” a lightning strike crashing into Hermione’s shield.

“Incredible,” McGonagall muttered. “You have created a shield around your entire self and not just any shield, but a shield that can take the force of multiple spell collisions. And, we cannot see it, it’s invisible.”

“That’s not possible,” Hermione frowned.

“I agree, but you have done the impossible.” McGonagall reached out as if to touch Hermione but her hand stopped a foot away from her, it pressing flat against a domed surface. Hermione slowly lowered her wand and once it was by her side, McGonagall was able to step closer. “Incredible,” she whispered.

“Your _Confringo_ ,” Severus spoke, drawing her attention to him, “It was more powerful than intended also.”

“Why?” Jared asked curiously and they turned to look at him, seeing they were all sat forward in their chairs whilst Teddy played in the snow.

“ _Confringo_ ,” Severus muttered, his wand pointed at Hermione’s robes. She cursed when the bottom of them caught fire and she put them out with a glare at him. “Show them,” he gestured to his robes that were now on the floor.

She sighed. “ _Confringo_ ,” she spoke, her wand aimed at his robes and when the spell collided there was a loud bang as they exploded in a burst of flames. “That is why; every one of her spells is more powerful than it should be. She cast an _Incendio_ and rather than one ball of fire, there was three which is has a different incantation, _Incendio Tria_. Everything she intends to do is more powerful, it requires less effort on her part. Miss. Granger has always been a powerful witch but her power is more potent since the bonding with you.”

“Why is that?” Paul’s brow furrowed in thought.

“The bonding,” McGonagall started, “Hermione is a witch and Mr. Uley a shape-shifter, you both possess magic albeit different forms. You are both classified magical beings. When you completed your bond, when you accepted each other your souls merged, you each share half of the other’s soul,” she explained. “You’re the Alpha Female, Hermione, are you bonded to Messrs Lahote and Cameron?”

“Yes, I woke up and I had their names tattooed on my back.”

“That is a sign of your shared bond. You are protective of them, yes?”

They all snorted. “You could say that,” Jared laughed.

“You have two bonds surrounding and supporting you, the bond of your mate and the bond of your pack. Those both contribute to your power growth, it has happened to better help you protect and care for the pack.”

“Okay, that makes sense,” Hermione nodded, nibbling her lip thoughtfully. “Is this only in life-threatening situations or will my magic be more potent as a whole?”

“That will require further testing. I would like to think it will only occur in life-threatening circumstances, but I think it’s best we assume as a whole, it’s better to be cautious.”

“Cautious it is,” Hermione nodded. “Thank you, Severus, Minerva.”

“Feel free to stay for as long as you wish, you may use my office to floo home.”

“Merry Christmas, Minerva.”

“Merry Christmas,” she replied before leaving back to the castle.

“I must go also,” Severus informed her. 

“I’ll see you soon, Severus, Merry Christmas,” she hugged him and he nodded before turning and picking up his destroyed robes and walking back to the castle.

“Right then,” Hermione spoke, turning to the boys. “That proves the theory that...”

“Hermione, there’s something over there,” Sam said, standing from his chair with narrowed eyes.

Her brow furrowing, she twisted to look over her shoulder to see a figure pacing back and forth in the Forbidden Forest. “It’s a centaur, I’ll be right back.”

“But Hermione...” She ignored them and made her way over to the centaur, knowing full well they’d listen to anything that was said between them.

She stopped at the edge of the forest and when a centaur stepped into view, Hermione bowed respectfully.

“Aelans,” she greeted the centaur with Malfoy blonde hair and a pure white body. His bow held in his hand and an arsenal of arrows strapped onto his back.

“Miss. Granger,” he bowed also and they both rose to full height.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit?”

“I have some troubling news I thought best to share with you.”

She frowned. “That sounds ominous, please continue.”

“The stars are talking, there is a battle coming.”

She stiffened immediately. “Yes?”

“Oh, you misunderstand me, not a battle of witches and wizards, a battle that is to take place in the Muggle World. The stars can only state so much and the rest is speculation. We know that you will be a key player, we don’t know the cause of this battle or who will partake, just that there will be a battle.”

“Thank you for making me aware, Aelans. I admit that it is a little vague but I will be on my guard.”

He nodded. “Until next time, Miss. Granger,” he bowed.

“Yes, until next time, Aelans,” she repeated, bowing too and then he stood up and backed away, disappearing into the forest.

“What was that all about?” Sam asked, eyeing the forest before looking back to Hermione and her frown as she returned to their side.

“That was Aelans, he’s the second in command of the Tribe. He was warning me, centaurs are able to interpret the future through the stars. He said there’s a battle coming, one that I will be a key player in.”

“I thought your war is over,” Paul spoke, looking at her worriedly.

“It is, Voldemort is gone, he can never return. He said this battle will take place in the Muggle World and that’s all he knows. I’ll have to be on my guard until something happens that will give me any indication as to what this battle may be.” She looked behind them and noticed that the students that had stayed behind were all up and having a snowball fight. She smiled. “Hey, no Hogwarts experience is complete without a snowball fight.”

They turned around to see the huge snowball fight taking place and when their backs were turned Hermione scooped up some snow and put it down their robes before picking up Teddy and running towards the snowball fight, hearing their shrieks and threats coming from behind her and she laughed.

She ducked behind a snow pile the students had created and she put Teddy on the ground before flicking her wand, snowballs magically forming as she threw them towards the three shifters that were running towards her. They were forced to take cover and the dived behind a large snow pile and she ducked behind hers, creating more snowballs and then stood up at the same time the boys did, snowballs being thrown back and forth.

When she ran out she ducked behind the pile and focused on creating more and when she returned to firing them, she only saw Jared and Paul so she suspected Sam was creating more snowballs for them, giving them ammunition. She was wrong. She was suddenly tackled to the ground from behind, landing on the snow with a squeal. Looking up, Sam was looming over her with a smug expression and she burst into laughter.

Her cheeks had tinted pink from the cold, her robes were dusted with snow and her hair and eyelashes were covered in snow, too. Sam’s robes were also dusted with snow and he had snow in his hair since it had started to snow again.

“You cheated,” he accused. 

“No, you should never turn your back on a witch or wizard when it snows. It’s rule number one around here. You’re just asking for trouble.” He chuckled at her. “Are you switching sides? Joining the winning team?”

“I think my team’s winning, seeing as you’re no longer in commission and your other team member’s currently dumping snow on his own head.”

She turned her head to see Teddy doing exactly that, it being hard to distinguish between him and the snow and she laughed.

“But I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

“Do you now?” He muttered as his head slowly lowered with the intention of kissing her but before he could she rolled them and pinned his hands to the ground.

“Of course I do, I’m a witch, I always have a backup plan and I always get what I want,” she whispered in his ear.

“And what exactly do you want?” His voice had taken a husky tone and she smiled to herself.

“To win, and I will.”

She quickly climbed off him and pointed her wand at the mountain or made up snowballs, muttering and incantation until they glowed blue before they suddenly floated in the air, Sam watching curiously as she stood and the snowballs flew through the air towards Paul and Jared without her touching them.

They ducked and the snowballs went flying over their heads.

“Missed us!” Jared yelled cockily, his smug expression clear but she smirked and folded her arms over her chest, waiting.

The snowballs suddenly changed direction and turned around, heading back in their direction and then floating around their heads before hitting them square in the face. They cursed and spluttered and Hermione laughed victoriously, looking to see Sam’s surprised but impressed expression.

“Bewitched snowballs, they never miss their targets. I once had Harry running around and trying to dodge them for ten minutes whilst he was being chased by ten snowballs, he gave up eventually and just let them hit him,” she grinned. He blinked slowly before chuckling. “Switching teams?” She asked knowingly.

“Definitely,” he nodded. “I don’t want to be on the receiving end of _that._ ”

She grinned at him. “Good choice, this is war, after all.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 8

**Sunday 25th December 2005**

"Boys, get a move on, we're going to be late for the opening of the presents, the floo network will be overrun with others travelling, it'll take us longer to get there as it is!"

"Alright, we're coming, keep your hair on," Paul called from upstairs.

Hermione rolled her eyes and then flicked her wand, packing away the desserts she'd prepared for after they'd had dinner. Reaching for the picnic basket, she shrunk it in size before slipping it into her beaded bag.

"Okay, we're ready," Jared spoke as he entered the room with Sam and Paul in tow, the latter carrying Teddy who was tugging on his hair. Hermione smiled at them, seeing they were wearing simple clothing of jeans, trainers and t-shirts but they still looked smart and comfortable.

"You have the gifts, right?" Sam asked.

"Yes, they're in my bag, honestly, they wouldn't expect anything from you."

"They're allowing us to join their family for Christmas, it's the least we can do," he shrugged.

"Before we go, just a few warnings." They all stood to attention, knowing to take her warnings regarding the Wizarding World seriously. "Mr. Weasley, he will spend most of his time asking you how muggle appliances work or what the purpose of something or other is. He's harmless, just enthusiastic. According to Harry, his most recent obsession is the rubber duck." They snorted. "I'm being serious. Next, Mrs. Weasley, she'll hug you, likely dislodge your spine in the process. Bill, he's nosy, he'll ask you random questions about your life. Charlie, the dragon tamer, he'll tease you, if he finds out you're shifters you're screwed because he won't leave you alone, he has a love for _all_ magical creatures and beings. He'll hound you and won't stop until he knows everything about you, that includes what shampoo you use." They snorted. "Once again, I'm being serious. Percy, well, he's got a broomstick shoved up his arse, don't be surprised if he comes across cold. George, you've met, so you know you shouldn't take anything he offers you, he'll be on top form today so you'll have to be careful, and you've already met Harry. Ronald, he's an arsehole, he'll be suspicious of you and please try to remain calm."

"Why?" Sam asked suspiciously.

"He has no filter, whatever he's thinking just comes out of his mouth. He can be cruel, very cruel," she looked down at the ground. "Please don't phase, it won't end well. Ginny, the youngest child and only sister, from what Harry's been telling me, she's not the same person she used be. She's changed a lot since I moved away. Apparently now she's a bit of a..."

"A?" Jared prompted.

Hermione shifted on her feet with a frown. "Well, she's beautiful, always has been, she's always had plenty of male attention and she's dated a few people, more than I can count actually. Let's just say that she's quickly making her way through most of the men in Wizarding England."

"She's a slut?" Paul stated.

Hermione blanched but sighed. "Yes, she didn't use to be, she didn't keep a boyfriend for more than a few weeks whilst I was there but since my move, she's gotten worse and we don't know why. Harry sees her with a different guy every week so it's possible she'll throw herself at you, just thought I'd let you know."

"Alright, anything else?" Jared asked.

"Fleur, she's Bill's wife, she's part veela."

They frowned thoughtfully. "Veela? You made us read about them, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. I wanted to prepare you for meeting her. Veela are incredibly beautiful, they put people in trances, their pheromones draw people in. Everyone's no longer affected by her as they've been around her for years now, well, everyone except Ronald. He still follows her around like a little puppy," she rolled her eyes. "I don't know how you'll be affected by it with your enhanced senses, but we'll see."

"Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of, if you're feeling uncomfortable just find Harry or myself and we'll spring you free, but we better go before we're late."

~000~000~000~

**The Burrow**

Hermione stepped out of the floo in Mr. Weasley's shed with the boys soon following behind her. After the war, they'd put a fireplace in the shed and moved the floo connection there as a security precaution.

"Whoa, someone's got a hoarding problem," Paul commented, his eyes darting about the overcrowded space in surprise.

Hermione laughed. "This is Mr. Weasley's shed, he keeps all of his muggle things in here, most of them don't work and he tries to fix them so they can work around magic," she explained, leading them out of the shed and in the distance they could see what looked to be a tower with parts sticking out and it looked to be leaning slightly to one side.

Hermione smiled at the sight. After the war, they'd had the Burrow rebuilt and although it wasn't an exact replica, they'd tried to make it as similar as possible. The building still leaned to one side and looked as though it were going to collapse, it still held seven floors and the chimney releasing a thick cloud of smoke and it still had the too many windows that jutted out.

"Welcome to the Burrow."

"How's that staying up?" Jared asked.

"Magic," she grinned. "It didn't use to look like that, it just used to be just two floors but as the family grew they had to keep adding more rooms, it has seven floors now. During the war, we were attacked here and the Burrow was burnt down. We rebuilt it to be as similar to the old building as possible. I loved being here. It's always filled with laughter and it's always warm and smells like home-cooking. There's always some form of drama going on and there's always someone complaining, it's usually Ronald tattling on George for pulling a prank on him, honestly, he does it because he gets a rise out of him," she shook her head.

"Is it safe?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Do you honestly believe I would allow Teddy in there if it weren't?" She came to a halt and they stopped beside her, eyeing her questioningly. "There's protective wards surrounding the Burrow, even if the war is over we've all learned to be careful and the habits we got into during the war are forever engraved in us."

"You don't have wards around your house," Paul commented.

"Actually, I do. I have Anti-apparition wards within a two mile radius. Only myself, Harry and Severus are able to apparate within the wards. I also have Anti-port-key wards within a two mile radius. Only I have the ability to port-key in and out of the wards. I have several protection wards around the house that will deflect most common charms, hexes, curses and jinxes and I also have Anti-vampire wards. Vampires can't come within three miles of the house unless they want to be set on fire. It's also why I don't lock the door at night, aside from the fact that you have patrols, I have wards stopping anyone from breaking in."

She pulled her wand out of her boot and touched it to the invisible barrier, she felt a shiver going through her and she noticed the boys shiver too and she smiled; they were beginning to realise when they were around magic, whether they knew it or not.

"Okay, step forward," she spoke and they did all did. She twisted behind her before quickly reinforcing the wards and then she said, "Come on, let's go meet the Weasleys."

They started walking forward, their feet crunching against the snow and as usual, the boys didn't bother with a coat since the cold didn't affect them.

"Hermione, there's someone coming this way and quickly," Jared spoke, his eyes narrowed in focus. He had better sight than the rest of them as Hermione squinted, only just seeing a dot in the distance.

"What does he look like?" She asked.

"Long red hair, smaller than us but just as well built. I can see a few tattoos on his arms."

Hermione smiled. "That's Charlie, heads up. Sammy, control yourself."

"Why?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I was raised by the Weasleys, they're my family, remember that. Charlie is a very affectionate person." He stiffened at the news but nodded.

"Mia!"

She laughed before running forward to meet him halfway and when she reached Charlie he picked her up and spun her around in circles, hugging her tightly and she heard Sam growling lowly and she rolled her eyes.

"I missed you," she said when he put her down and he pulled back from her.

"I think I like this new you, you look happy," he said softly. "I haven't seen you this happy since Fred."

A sad look crossed her face before she shook her head and beamed.

"I am happy, really happy. I met someone, come, I'll introduce you." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the three shifters. "Charlie, this is Jared and Paul," she introduced as they shook hands.

"Merlin, you guys give me a run for my galleons," he spoke laughing.

"And this is my boyfriend, Sam."

Charlie looked to Sam appraisingly before shaking his hand, Sam squeezing a little harder than he normally would and his eyes narrowed slightly. Charlie didn't look fazed by it and his gaze darted to Hermione and then back to Sam with a smirk.

"Does Ron know?"

"No," she replied.

"Excellent," he grinned. "Nice to meet you, right then, let's get inside; I'm freezing my arse off and the others are waiting to open presents, you know how George gets when he has to wait."

Hermione winced. "Last time he set the couch on fire," she chuckled.

"Never seen mum so angry," he laughed. "Come on, let's go."

Charlie led the way to the towered structured and when they reached the door Charlie waltzed, the snow on his hiking boots melting away as soon as he stepped on the welcome mat. Hermione magicked off her coat as well as Teddy's and they found their way to the coat rack before they all stepped inside and she noticed them taking in the room. It was warm inside, decorated in light colours, photos covered the walls and decorations littered the room and it had mismatched furniture to accommodate the number of people that would be there.

"Hey, everyone," she greeted. Everyone turned to her and they beamed, a chorus of greetings sounding as everyone got up to hug her, well everyone except Percy and Ron, who was still sour about their break up even if they were only together for two weeks. "Everyone, this is Paul, Jared and Sam."

They waved to the Weasley's who chorused a greeting, though they stared with wide eyes at their large and muscled frames, not to mention, the fact that Teddy was currently being held by one of them and they'd only seen him that comfortable with Harry and Hermione.

"Boys, this is Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill and his wife Fleur..." The part veela smiled at them before blinking in surprise when the only interaction they gave her was a polite smile. It seemed they were immune to her charms after all. "Harry and George you've met, this is Percy..." He nodded stiffly. "That's Ron and finally Ginny."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Sam spoke politely. "Hermione speaks of you often."

"Of course, she does, I'm awesome," George spoke, stepping forward to shake their hands enthusiastically and she rolled her eyes as he winked and made his way back over to the tree, sitting next to it like an overexcited child.

Bill stepped forward with a smile and he shook their hands. "It's nice to meet you, has she prepared you?" He asked amused.

"She made us read a book on veela and werewolves before she let us leave the house," Jared confirmed.

"That's our Hermione," Bill replied, ruffling her hair and she scowled whilst batting his hands away. They chuckled. "This is Fleur."

"It iz a pleazure to me you," she spoke, her French accent not as strong as it used to be but still there.

She shook their hands and watched them curiously as they didn't fall at her feet. Hermione smiled knowingly and Fleur raised an eyebrow before they turned and returned to their seats.

"I'm Ginny," the youngest redhead purred, walking over to them and batting her eyelashes as she flicked her long red hair over her shoulder, her eyes taking in their forms greedily. Hermione noticed them shift uncomfortably and her eyes narrowed, she didn't like their reactions and the protective side of her flared up.

"Ginny, they're not interested," she spoke flatly. "Leave them alone and for Merlin's Sake, put some clothes on, this is a family gathering. I don't want Teddy seeing _that_ ," she gestured to the short dress she was wearing and Ginny huffed before turning and storming off up the stairs.

"Thanks," they muttered and she smiled. She noticed Percy eyeing them but he didn't greet them.

"The name's, Arthur," Mr. Weasley came over and shook their hands. "Say, you live in the Muggle World?" They nodded. "Tell me, what's the purpose of batteries?" He asked. Hermione smiled and chuckled and the boys stared confused.

"Oh, Arthur, let them settle in first before you interrogate them," Mrs. Weasley bustled over. "It's lovely to meet you, Dears, I'm Molly," Mrs. Weasley spoke kindly, pulling Jared straight into a hug, his frightened gaze darting over her shoulder and to Hermione who smothered a laugh. She let go and then pulled Paul into a hug, followed by Sam. They shifted on their feet nervously. "You're welcome here anytime, now it's time for presents, off you go, find a seat and get comfortable," she waved them away with her tea towel.

They walked over to the couches and the boys all sat down next her; Sam and Jared on either side of Hermione, whilst Paul sat on the floor with Teddy on his knee, tugging at his hair. The presents were handed out and the boys were shocked to be given a present from Mrs. Weasley.

"Bloody hell, Harry," Ron exclaimed. "That's a Firebolt 9000."

Harry nodded dumbly and picked it up out of the box, holding it gently, as if he were afraid his very breath might break it.

"Who bought you that?" George asked, staring at the broomstick adoringly and Hermione chuckled.

"Hermione," he mumbled quietly. All eyes turned to her and she smiled sheepishly. "I don't understand, how? I tried to get one but they're out of stock until February."

"I pre-ordered one and had them hold it for me. It was bloody expensive, I'll tell you that for nothing. I could've bought a brand new car for what that cost me," she snorted. Everyone was still staring at her. "You should see what I got the rest of you," she said.

At her words, wrapping paper was soon flying about the room and it was the only sound that could be heard.

"They're gorgeous," Ginny squealed excitedly.

"Oh, Dear, I couldn't possibly accept these," Mrs. Weasley blushed.

"Thanks, Mia," Charlie grinned. "I was going to buy the updated versions, now I don't have to."

"It iz beautiful, thank you, Cherie," Fleur smiled.

"Well, this just made my job a whole lot easier," Bill laughed.

"Now, I can start playing again, thanks, Princess," George grinned.

"My own personalised stationery, this will make everyone at the office jealous," Percy spoke in awe and she rolled her eyes.

"A model train set!" Mr. Weasley beamed. "Oh, Molly, look, she bought me a train set!" He gloated and Hermione chuckled, leaning back into the couch and Sam put his arm around her shoulders, tugging her into his side as he smiled down at her.

She noticed that Ron hadn't said thank you for his gift, no matter of the fact that he'd been wanting it for years.

"What did she get you?" George asked the boys curiously and they all shrugged.

"Don't know, she hasn't given us them yet," Jared replied.

"That's because they're too big for me to bring them with me and I didn't want to risk damaging them by resizing them, you'll have to wait until tonight."

They continued with the rest of the presents before everyone put on Warming Charms and they're coats and they all headed outside where a snowball war broke out and Hermione sat on the porch with Mr. Weasley helping him to put together his train set.

After a few hours, Mrs. Weasley called them in for Christmas dinner. The table had of course been enlarged and chairs conjured. Paul, Jared and Sam stared at the food-covered table in awe and Hermione hadn't been able to do anything but laugh; they fit right in with the Weasleys. Sam and Jared sat on either side of Hermione whilst Paul sat opposite with Teddy sat next to him and Harry sat on his other side. George sat next to Jared and they talked in great detail about Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and magical pranks. Harry and Paul were debating who would win in a fight, a giant wolf or a centaur and Charlie jumped in with his opinion. Mr. Weasley and Sam were speaking of his job as a contractor in the Muggle World and what it entailed, the older wizard being enraptured and Sam happily answered all of his questions, no matter how odd they were.

Percy argued with Bill, Fleur and Ginny spoke about the clothing Hermione had bought them for Christmas, Mrs. Weasley ate whilst looking around the table in joy and Ron seemed to spend most of his time glaring at her.

"Everyone, we have an announcement to make," Bill spoke and he rose from his chair, the table falling silent. "Fleur and I are expecting."

"Expecting what?" Harry asked dumbly. "An owl?"

Hermione burst out laughing and everyone looked at her like she was crazy. "He means they're pregnant," she explained.

"Fleur's three months along," he confirmed.

It was silent until applause and cheers erupted and Mrs. Weasley started crying before jumping up and moving to Bill and Fleur, pulling them into a tight hug.

"My first Gran-baby," she cried happy tears, finding herself on the receiving end of her sons' teasing.

When everyone calmed down chatter resumed and Hermione felt Sam take her hand and he squeezed it. She looked up and he was looking down at her with a soft smile and he leaned down and kissed her chastely. "I love you," he muttered against her mouth before giving her another kiss.

"I love you, too," she replied softly.

"I see it didn't take you long to move on," Ron spat nastily. The entire table fell silent and they stared at him in shock before looking to Hermione. She had stiffened in her seat and her face was impassive, blank. "Considering Fred was your _everything_ , the love of your life, you sure moved on quickly. How long did you wait before you slept with him? A week? A day? I know, it was the day you met him, wasn't it?" He said cruelly.

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley cried in outrage.

Hermione's face was slowly turning red in anger and low growls of warning were rumbling in Sam's chest, his eyes dark and cold. Paul and Jared quickly stood from their seats and they moved over to him, settling their hands on his shoulders in an attempt to keep him in place.

Everyone slowly pushed their chairs away from the table and stood, all backing up against the wall and out of the way, Harry taking Teddy with him. They knew what was coming and they pulled their wands, preparing to cast a shield; they'd since this happen enough times to know to be prepared. They looked at the three large men with strange expressions; the one they'd come to know as Sam was making sounds that could only be described as vicious growling. The other two, Jared and Paul, they didn't look impressed with Ronald's behaviour either, their faces set hard and they were glaring at Ron murderously.

"I suggest you stop talking," Paul spoke through gritted teeth, both from trying to control his own anger and also trying to keep Sam in his seat. As the Alpha, he was physically stronger and larger than him and Jared, requiring more effort.

Of course, Ron didn't listen.

"Got yourself a harem, have we?" He laughed cruelly. "Do you shag them all? I bet you do. I guess Rita Skeeter was right about you, you really are just a galleon digging whore."

Right in front of their eyes, Sam let out a vicious snarl and Paul and Jared were thrown back against the wall, slamming into it as Sam suddenly stood and his clothes ripped from him, his body shifted and the wolf now stood were Sam once did.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 10

**Sunday 25th December 2005**

The jet black fur of the wolf stood up like he'd been electrocuted and it contrasted against Hermione's ivory skin. Hermione stood next to him, tiny compared to him as he stood at eight foot. He took up most of the available room in the kitchen and the table had been pushed further down the room during his phasing.

The wolf snarled and Ron let out a strangled sound, dropping his wand to the ground, stumbling back and tripping over a chair, hitting the ground hard and shuffling backwards in fear, his eyes wide, his face draining of all colour and his expression one of terror.

The wolf took a step forward and stalked towards him with his paws moving slowly and silently on the floor, his head lowered, his ears flat against his head and his dark eyes fixed solely on him.

"Jared," Hermione spoke calmly, her gaze fixed firmly on Ron. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I've taken worse when dealing with a leech," he groaned, pushing himself to his feet and wincing as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Please take Sammy for a run around, help him work out his anger."

"Yeah, we'll be back soon," he agreed.

Jared suddenly phased into the giant wolf, his brown fur and grey mask around his eyes striking. He ran at Sam, deliberately colliding with him and they skidded across the room, slamming into the cupboards and the items inside rattled in protest. Sam snarled at him before chasing him through the house and out the door, several things shattering as they left.

The room was silent except for the cries and screams of Teddy, Harry struggling to calm the young child in his hold.

"Paul, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good, I've never seen him lose control like that before," he replied, wincing and rolling his neck and shoulders as he climbed to his feet.

"Ball!" Teddy screamed.

Paul's concerned gaze to Hermione and she nodded, offering him a soft smile and a brief glance before her eyes darted back to a visibly shaking Ron.

"I'll be fine," she promised.

"Come on, Teddy, let's go play with that dragon Harry bought you," Paul said to the crying child, quickly plucking him from Harry's hold and leaving the room, sending Ron a look of warning before he stepped through the door.

"What the hell was that?" Charlie exclaimed, looking very much like he'd won the lottery.

Hermione's attention darted to him, forgetting Ron for the time being; he wasn't going anywhere, he'd frozen in place. Her eyes scanned each of their surprised expressions, even Harry and George who both knew of them being shape-shifters but she supposed knowing and seeing where different things entirely.

She reached up, pushing her hand through her hair to drag it out of her face and over her shoulder, mentally compiling a cliff notes version of an explanation.

"As you just witnessed, Sam, Paul and Jared aren't muggles but shape-shifters who are able to transform into giant wolves so they can protect their Tribe and land from wandering vampires. They have to keep it a secret and only the leaders of the Tribe know of their existence whereas the rest of their Tribe believe the stories of their ancestors to be legends. The shape-shifting gene is only passed down in three bloodlines, the Blacks, Uleys and Atearas. Sam and Paul are both from the Uley line and Jared is from the Black line but the gene has been dormant for decades and it only presents itself when there are vampires nearby. Sam was the first to change and not long after Jared and Paul followed. Sam is the Alpha of the pack, he's my boyfriend and he's my mate which makes me the Alpha Female of the pack. I have a soul bond with Sam and a pack bond with Jared and Paul, we're expecting another member of the Tribe to change soon, I can feel it, and when they do, I'll be bound to them, too."

The room remained in silence and only Ron's whimpers could be heard. It must've been at least ten minutes of no one speaking and through the kitchen window, she spied Sam and Jared walking towards the house. They hadn't brought any clothes with them but Hermione had been prepared in case something like that happened, and of course, she was right to.

She glanced to the silent wizards and witches lined up with the backs against the wall before she stepped out of the kitchen and retrieved a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a pair of trainers each for Sam and Jared. She left them outside the front door before returning to the still silent kitchen.

Minutes later, Sam and Jared made an appearance and Paul followed behind them, a considerably calmer Teddy settled in his arms as he clung to him with his head buried against his shoulder. They all approached her, surrounding her protectively and Sam reached out, taking her face in his hands.

"Are you okay?" He muttered softly, his eyes searching her for any injuries she may have received. She'd been too close to him for his liking when he'd phased and he'd never forgive himself if he hurt her, accidentally or not.

"I'm perfectly fine," she promised. "I'm sorry I had Jared _attack_ you, but if you hurt a human you would've never forgiven yourself, no matter how much he deserved it."

He pulled her into his arms, hugging her as tightly as he dared as he buried his nose in her hair and breathed a sigh of relief. When Hermione pulled back from him and turned to face the other occupants, he settled his arm around her waist with Jared stood beside her and Paul standing beside him.

"This is _awesome_!" Charlie's whisper soon morphed into a shout of excitement, a big grin pulling at his mouth and his eyes lighting up like a child's at Christmas. "You're shape-shifters, bloody hell, why didn't you tell me? I have questions, a _lot_ of questions."

"They can wait," Hermione interrupted. His face saddened, looking both dejected and disappointed and he slowly nodded, his lip jutting out slightly in a pout. If the atmosphere wasn't so tense, she'd have laughed.

"Okay, that was scary as fuck, but still awesome," George commented.

Hermione sighed tiredly before turning her eyes to Ron, the redhead having risen to his feet at some point and he held his wand in both shaking hands, it aimed in their direction. Her wolf stood to attention and Hermione pulled her wand, directing it at him as she took a step forward, taking a defensive stance.

"I didn't move on quickly, Ronald. It's been twenty months since Fred died and I miss him every day, of course I do, and I still love him. But he's gone and he's never coming back. I have Sam now and I love him. He makes me happy, he doesn't judge me, he isn't cruel to me like you are. I was holding back from him when we started dating because I felt guilty, I felt like I was betraying Fred. I visited him at Hogwarts, he spoke to me, he told me I had to move on. He told me that he was happy for me and that he would be watching over me. He told me he would always be with me."

"Hermione, Fred's dead, he can't speak to you," Harry said gently.

"You saw him, didn't you?" George spoke softly, ignoring Harry's comment. "I visited his grave once and I saw him, I saw his ghost."

Gasps sounded along with his mother's cry.

"Yes, his ghost was waiting for me. He told me he couldn't move on to the afterlife because I was his unfinished business."

"He waited for you for a long time," he told her, his expression a soft, sadness.

"I know he did and it broke me having to let him go but I know why he did it. I will always love Fred and I will always remember him, but now I have Sam and Fred approves of him." She gave her head a light shake, her eyes narrowing in warning. "I suggest you lower your wand, Ronald, I don't take kindly to people threatening my pack," she spoke coldly.

" _Sectumsempra_ ," he sneered.

" _Protego Totalum_ ," Hermione spoke calmly. She couldn't see the shield but she could feel it, not only protecting her, but her pack, too, and the curse collided with the shield, stopping a foot from her.

Ron's eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

"Nothing can stop that curse," Harry muttered, his eyes darting between her, her wand and Ron.

"I can; my magic's grown more potent due to my bond with Sam, Jared and Paul. It's the Alpha Female's duty to protect her pack and care for them, and so my magic has grown more powerful to help me accommodate that need. But that doesn't matter right now. Boys, shall we go home?"

"I think it's for the best," Jared nodded. "I don't know if Sam can tame his temper for the rest of the day."

"My bag's in the living room, put everything in there and then we'll floo home." They nodded and made to leave the room, Hermione's voice halting them. "And by the way, Ronald," she spoke coldly, "Fred and I had sex on your desk in your bedroom."

Several people choked, several gasped and others stared gobsmacked.

George burst out laughing, breaking the silence. "Yes!" He exclaimed, applauding loudly. "That's brilliant! Way to go, Freddie, even in the afterlife you're still causing trouble. I've never been prouder."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you're laughing for, we had sex on your kitchen table."

His laughter halted as he stared in surprised horror before he burst into guffaws, his eyes watering as his face reddened. "I'll have to get a new kitchen table now, thanks for that."

She shrugged innocently. "Why do you think it has a wobbly leg?"

"Merlin! Did you really have to tell us that?" Harry grumbled, looking nauseous.

"We second that," Paul and Jared agreed, raising their hands slightly with a grimace before they took their leave from the kitchen.

"I'm sorry and we've had a lovely time but I think it's best we get home, it's getting late. I don't know when we'll next be back so I'll let you know."

"Hermione, you don't have to go," said Bill, his eyes darting to Ron disapprovingly.

"I do, it's not safe for Ronald if we stay and I can't risk the boys phasing again," she replied, turning her eyes to Ron. " _Avis, Oppungo_ ," she muttered, the conjured yellow canaries flocking to him, his cries and yells drawing Paul and Jared back into the kitchen, laughs falling from them. "Are we ready?" They nodded in confirmation. "Goodbye, everyone," Hermione smiled before exiting out the door.

"Well, for what it's worth, it was nice meeting you," Jared said politely, following after her. Paul was behind him, sending Ron a frightening glare over his shoulder and Sam let out a snarl, making him squeak.

When they reached the shed, they heard voices calling to them and they all looked behind them to see Charlie, Harry, George, Bill and Fleur rushing to catch up.

"We thought we'd come with you for a few hours, we still haven't seen your new house," said George in explanation.

Her eyes darted to the others and they shrugged, not being bothered either way.

"Alright then," she agreed, "Let's go."

~000~000~000~

"Love the colours," George spoke as he stepped out of the floo, seeing the red and gold of her living room.

"Thought you would," she grinned. "Right, we'll have a quick tour and then a drink."

"Good idea," Bill nodded.

Hermione gave them a tour of the house and told them of the work that had been done and they returned to the living room, everyone taking seats and Hermione brought out the fire whiskey and juice.

"So, you _all_ live here?" Charlie asked, taking a swig of his fire whiskey and then wincing at the burn.

"Yeah, we moved in a few days ago," Paul nodded, "But we were here every day before that and sometimes stayed over."

"What's it like living with the Brightest Witch of her Age?" Bill asked, his mouth tugging into a smirk at Hermione's annoyed glare.

Jared shrugged his shoulders. "It's nice. She's not scared of us, she doesn't get mad at us when we eat all the food and she has to go shopping again. She doesn't treat us like we're going to walk up to her and steal her purse, she doesn't care that we're shifters."

"Why would she think you were going to steal from her?" He frowned, eyeing his warily.

"Everyone else does, everyone on the Res, they're scared of us. There's rumours flying around that we're a part of a gang, a cult if you will."

"Why?"

"Our appearances, we're taller than everyone on the Res, we're bigger, we're stronger, we're faster, we keep to ourselves as much as possible," he shrugged. "We didn't use to look like this. We used to be average height and scrawny, we had long hair as is tradition for the men of our Tribe, we were completely average. When we go through the change we grow very quickly, most think we're on steroids."

"What abilities do you have as shifters?" Charlie asked, sitting so far forward he almost toppled to the ground.

"Here we go," George snorted into his glass.

"Aside from turning into giant wolves?" Paul smirked. "We have enhanced hearing, smell and sight, but Jared has the best sight out of all of us."

"I can see for about a mile, possibly two, if my vision isn't obscured," he shrugged.

"Like Hermione," Bill mused and they all froze, their eyes darting to him. "You know, because she's a werewolf?" He laughed when he saw their surprised expressions, their eyes darting between one another and then back to him.

"What? You honestly thought we didn't know?" Charlie asked her amusedly.

"Hermione, I have lupine traits, I can _sense_ werewolves. I've known since you were bitten. I got a feeling from you three, too, when w met this morning but I wasn't sure _what_ you were," Bill chuckled.

"I've known since your first full moon, I'm a magical creature's expert, I know a werewolf when I see one," Charlie smirked.

"I'm part veela; I knew, too," Fleur smiled.

"And I know you just as well as Harry. Don't think I didn't notice your mood changes and your sudden fondness of chocolate," George smirked. "It wasn't difficult to figure out that you're a werewolf, given that you always disappeared the day after the full moon and you were a moody cow beforehand," he shrugged, Fleur lifting the cushion that sat on her lap and smacking him with it.

"You're not disgusted?" Hermione asked quietly, her gaze on the ground.

"Of course not!" They all chorused unintentionally.

"You're still you, you're still Hermione Granger, the Brightest Witch of your Age and our little sister. Nothing will change that, especially not you being a werewolf," George spoke. A relieved look crossed her face and she sank back into the couch, Sam putting his arm around her and pulling her to him and he kissed her forehead. "I'm just sorry you felt the need to hide it from us."

"I had to, George. The more people that know, the bigger the risk of it getting out to the public, whether it's revealed accidentally or intentionally. I've worked too hard for everything to be taken from me and I have to think about Teddy. You know the laws, they'd take him from me without blinking, regardless of my adopting him. But I was also ashamed. Not of what I am but how it happened. I let down my guard, I should've known better given what we'd just been through but I was sloppy and it's my fault. I didn't want to burden any of you with my problems. We were still so exhausted and we'd lost so many people, and Fred... It's not because I didn't trust you, I just wanted to be cautious. So please, don't tell anyone, especially your parents or Ronald. Ronald would use it as ammunition and your mother would be unbearable, we all saw how she treated Remus and I don't need her pity or worry. I am fine. I've learned to live with it and I'm making the best I can out of the cards I've been dealt."

Their eyes held her gaze before Charlie cleared his throat. "So, what else?" Charlie asked, turning his attention back to Paul and Jared, as if he hadn't just revealed he knew Hermione's biggest secret and she hadn't just explained herself to them.

"We're stronger and faster so we can destroy the parasites. We're constantly hungry, hence why Hermione has to go grocery shopping three times a week," Jared answered and they snorted at him. "We have decelerated ageing until we stop phasing, we have a body temperature of one hundred and eight degrees so we don't feel the cold and we have advanced healing, watch."

He reached forward and picked up the knife they'd used to cut the cake Hermione had taken out of the fridge and placed a cut to his finger before setting the knife down, holding his hand up for them to see as it knitted back together in seconds.

"Okay, that's awesome," Charlie grinned. "Hermione, you said you have a soul bond and a pack bond, how?"

"I'll explain it to you later," Harry spoke, seeing Hermione's exhaustion despite her trying to hide it but he knew her better than anyone; he could see right through her. Charlie looked disappointed but nodded in agreement.

"What happens when...?"

"Alright, enough questions, it's time for fireworks," George interrupted, quickly standing to his feet and his clapping hands. "Princess, you got the spells?"

"On it," she nodded, standing from the couch and heading outside, being followed by everyone else. As they stepped outside, Hermione was concentrating on the movement of her wand as she muttered beneath her breath before stowing it back in her robes once she'd finished. "Notice-Me-Not Charm's up."

"The what?" Jared asked.

"Muggles won't be able to see," Harry explained as they watched George setting up the fireworks, it taking him a good ten minutes before he darted over to them, all but bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Ready?" He grinned.

"Do it," Hermione nodded.

" _Confringo_ ," he called, the jet of light hitting the first firework and it was the beginning of a chain reaction.

As the colours burst in the air, they formed shapes and patterns and played out scenes and stories for them all to watch, it being hard to focus on one singular image as dozens continued to burst and form. As the final firework sounded, a large orange dragon flew overhead, a stream of fire pouring from its mouth before it vanished, leaving the sky empty and Hermione and Harry's laughter was no longer drowned out.

"I thought you'd appreciate that one," George grinned. "It's still my favourite prank, even after all these years."

"Mine too," they both agreed.

With the display over, they headed back inside and after a few more drinks, Sam put Teddy to bed and everyone else left, flooing back to England, Hermione collapsing on the couch exhaustedly.

"I'm exhausted, it's been a hectic day," she spoke. They nodded in agreement. It really had. "Merlin, I haven't even given you your presents yet," her eyes widening and sitting up in realisation. "Let's rectify that, come on, up, your presents are waiting outside."

Sharing a glance, they curiously followed her outside as she led them to the back of the house.

"I don't see anything," Jared tilted his head in confusion, seeing nothing but sand and the woods in the distance.

Smiling, Hermione put her hand in her pocket and drew back with a set of keys dangling from her index finger before she bunched them together and threw to Jared, the shifter easily catching them.

"What are these?" He arched an eyebrow.

"The keys to your new car," she answered.

" _Car_!?" They all spluttered.

With a flick of her wrist, she removed the Disillusionment Charm and they all gawked at the dark blue Audi A8 that now sat parked in front of them.

"Is it a good car?" She questioned with a frown. "They guy I bought it off said it was safe and it has all these features that I can't remember. I thought it looked nice, smart; it's second hand but it's hardly been driven, I think it has twenty thousand miles on it. It still has the original interior and there isn't a mark on it."

"Hermione, do you have any idea how much this costs?" Jared muttered, staring at the car in disbelief.

"No, not really and I don't care."

"We're talking thousands of dollars, like _sixty_ thousand dollars, I would never be able to afford one of these, even if I worked for the rest of my life."

"The guy wanted rid of it and so I bought it, I assume I got a fair price for it, it was second hand, after all," she shrugged. "I don't care how much it cost me, you deserve it after everything you've done for not only me and Teddy but your Tribe, too."

"Hermione, I can't accept this, it's too expensive," he said quietly and shifting on his feet awkwardly.

"Yes, you can and it's too late anyway, I've already paid for it in full. I don't need it so you either take it or it's just going to sit here, rusting away." Her mouth tugged at the corners, seeing the evidence of a war raging inside him. He wanted to accept the car but he didn't want to accept something so expensive.

"Hermione, seriously..."

"Do you like the car?"

"Yes, but it's..."

"Could you see yourself driving it?"

"Obviously, but..."

"Do you want to hurt my feelings?"

"No, of course not, but..."

"Then you're accepting the car, I'll cry if you don't and I know you don't want to see me cry, especially over something you've done. It'll hurt my feelings," she purposely guilt-tripped him. He sighed in defeat and knew she'd won the battle. "You're forgetting, I'm a millionaire and I have money going into my vault every day from investments, a car is nothing to me. The guy said it was a safe, reliable car and that's all I wanted, it helps that it looks quite nice, too," she shrugged. She turned to Paul and pulled out another set of keys and handed them to him. "It's not a car," she told him, seeing his eyes dart between the keys and Jared's new car.

Muttering beneath her breath, she removed yet another Disillusionment Charm, Paul's eyes widening in surprise.

"Is that a..." He trailed off, unable to finish his words.

"Dirt bike? Yes, it is. It's not brand new, it was previously owned."

"It's an M2R Racing Warrior J1," he muttered in awe, slowly approaching it and circling it, taking it all in.

"A what?" Sam asked confused, looking to Hermione for answers.

"No idea," she replied and he chuckled at her.

"Fuck, is that real? Is that really his signature?"

"Who?" Her brow furrowed.

"Christopher Longings!" He exclaimed.

"Oh, yes, I believe so," she nodded.

"He signed it, how the fuck did you get his autograph?" He asked her awed.

"It used to be his; he's the guy I bought it off."

"Who's Christopher Longings?" Jared asked from his place sat inside his car, looking over the interior and its features before sticking his head out of the window, looking to Paul.

"Who's Christopher Longings!?" Paul's voice rose in indignation. "He's only America's top dirt bike racer."

"That's a thing?" Jared tipped his head.

"Yes, it's a thing," he replied, glaring at him before running his hands over the bike and staring at it in wonder.

"Of course, it was more expensive than retail price seeing as it was owned by him and he signed it," Hermione said.

"It even still has his blood on it," he whispered.

"Awesome," Hermione chirped, Jared and Sam sniggering at her but Paul didn't seem to notice.

"Thank you," he muttered, stepping away from the bike long enough to pull her into a tight hug.

"You deserve it, Paul, like I keep telling you, you're a good person."

He drew back from her, running a hand through his hair. "Our gifts are nowhere near as good as these," Paul sighed.

"Did you put thought into them?"

"It took us days to even think of an idea," he replied.

"Then I'm sure I'll love it," she smiled. She then turned to Sam who was looking at her warily. "As for you," she pulled another set of keys from her pocket and gave them to him. "Don't worry, it's not a car or dirt bike," she chuckled, seeing the suspicious look on his face. "You can't see your gift until tomorrow as it's not quite ready yet but I thought I'd give you the keys to hold onto."

"What is it?"

"You have to wait until tomorrow," she grinned mischievously. "And no, I'm not telling so don't even try to convince me otherwise, I'm quite stubborn when I want to be." He snorted, knowing it was true. "Shall we head back inside, I'm freezing," she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself and trying to rub some warmth back into her arms.

Nodding, Paul stepped away from the bike and Jared locked his car up before Hermione conjured some protective covers to keep the car and bike from getting covered in snow and then they returned to the house.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 7

**Sunday 25th December 2005**

“Time for our gifts,” Jared grinned, pushing Hermione down onto the couch before he and Paul disappeared upstairs, returning with wrapped presents and perching on the couch opposite her and Sam. “Mine first.”

Jared handed her a wrapped box and she took it, resting it on her knee as she untied the hastily tied bow and removed the slightly rumpled wrapping paper before taking off the box lid.

Inside sat in an A3 black hardback bound book and Hermione removed it, seeing there was another beneath only it was a brilliant white. Turning her attention to the one in her hand, on the cover and written in the centre was, ‘ _Teddy, a reminder of those that we lost and those that loved you,_ ’ in silver lettering.

Hermione felt tears spring to her eyes before she slowly opened the book, feeling her hands shaking. The first two pages had two large photographs, one on each page. One photo was taken of the Order of the Phoenix during the first war and the second photo of the Order of the Phoenix during the second war. Across the top ‘the Order of the Phoenix’ was written in black lettering. And although she recognised the handwriting as belonging to Jared, it was a lot neater than his usual scrawl which meant he’d taken the time to ensure his presentation, it only being proven when there were a few sentences beneath the photographs.

_Teddy, this is the Order of the Phoenix. The people in these photographs were dedicated to protecting the lives of those that couldn’t protect themselves, some of them you may recognise, some of them you won’t. Some of them lost their lives in battles, others are still alive. But they are all heroes._

She turned the page and the next two pages were littered with wizarding photographs of Tonks and Remus; one of them wearing their school uniforms on their first day of school and one was taken during their graduation ceremonies. There was a photograph taken during their secret wedding, and one taken a few days after Tonks had given birth to Teddy, both of them smiling as Tonks sat the newborn in her hold. There were also several more photographs of them with Teddy before they’d died. At the top of the page in Jared’s black scrawl was ‘ _Nymphadora and Remus Lupin_.’

There was a small section in the bottom right corner which held a paragraph that read,

_Teddy, these are your biological parents, Nymphadora and Remus Lupin. They gave their lives so that you may live in a world free of dictatorship and darkness. They gave their lives to protect you and they loved you dearly. It broke their hearts to leave you but they had to, and because of their actions, they saved countless lives. Your mother and father are heroes. Your father, Remus, was a werewolf, but also the kindest and smartest man there ever was. There wasn’t one person that wished him ill and when he taught Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, all the students loved him. Your mother, Nymphadora, she was a kind soul, terribly clumsy, but she was one of the best Aurors to have lived. She was a Metamorphmagus, just like you. You are a wonderful combination of both of your parents. They loved you and I am certain they are watching over you and will be for the rest of your life. Don’t be sad that they left, be proud and love them as we all did._

Silent tears fell down her cheeks unbidden as turned the page, revealing two pages of wizarding photographs of Andromeda and Ted Tonks, their names written at the top of the page. There was a photograph of Andromeda and Ted’s wedding, one of them together as they held a newborn Tonks, one of them at Tonks and Remus’ wedding and then photographs of Andromeda with Teddy from his newborn stage until she died. In the bottom left corner read,

_Teddy, these are your Grandparents, Ted and Andromeda Tonks. Your Grandfather was a Muggleborn and he lost his life during the war. He was a terrific father and he loved your Mother and Grandmother very much. He was a kind and understanding man. You’re Grandmother, Andromeda, she was a Pureblood witch, a scary one, too; no one dared to cross her. When your parents lost their lives it was your Grandmother who took care of you, you were loved dearly by her. She, unfortunately, became very ill and she fought her illness but she lost the battle. She was a brilliant woman and she loved you, they both did._

She turned the page and revealed more wizarding photos, this time of Sirius Orion Black, his name written across the top with a photograph of him before he’d started Hogwarts in his uniform and one of him on his graduation day. There were photographs of him laughing as a teenager and then it changed, a few photos of him during Christmas Hermione’s fifth year and that was it, as he’d died. In the top right corner, it said,

_Teddy, this is your Uncle Sirius, a child at heart, a mischievous prankster, a joker, but a kind and loyal man. He was your father’s best friend and brother, and he, unfortunately, died before he could meet you, but I assure you, he loves you just as much as anyone. You would’ve loved him. He was an Animagus, a large black dog that resembled the grim. He became one just so your father didn’t have to be alone during the full moon. It may be a blessing in disguise that he’s not here as he cannot corrupt you but know that he loves you._

Hermione turned the page again to reveal Lily and James Potter, their names written across the top of the page with photographs taken on their first day of Hogwarts in their uniforms, from their time at Hogwarts and their graduation. There was a photograph of them at their wedding with Sirius and Remus and several photographs taken before they’d died. In the top left corner, it said,

_Teddy, meet Lily and James Potter. They died during the first war; they gave their lives for their son, your Godfather, Harry. They would’ve adored you. Lily, she was like your father’s little sister, and James, his brother. He was an Animagus, changing into a stag so that he could be with your father at the full moon. He was a pranking genius, always laughing and playing practical jokes. Your father, Sirius and James made up a group, they called themselves the Marauders, ask Harry or George, they were legendry around Hogwarts. They even had their own nicknames, your father was Moony, Sirius was Padfoot and James was Prongs. Lily was a no-nonsense witch, she didn’t take any rubbish from any of the Marauders and she kept them in line. She was a very intelligent witch, magically gifted and very generous. I know they love you, even if they never got the chance to meet you._

Hermione turned the page again and she was surprised to see ‘ _Fredrick Gideon Weasley’_ written across the top of the page with photographs of him littering the two pages, some from his childhood, others were taken whilst he was at Hogwarts, others were taken after he’d left, during Christmas and one of him and George during the opening of their shop. There was even a photo of her and Fred kissing under some mistletoe (one she’d never seen before) and photo of him holding a newborn Teddy.

_Teddy, this is your Uncle Fred. He died during the war, he was a hero. He saved so many lives, including giving up his own to protect some children from a vampire. He was an amazing prankster. Along with his twin brother, your Uncle George, they started a legacy, Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. I’m sure it’ll be your favourite store. Fred and George were incredibly intelligent and they were always getting into trouble for pranking students, teachers, their siblings and their parents. He loved you; he was there when you were born. He was visiting your father when your mother went into labour with you and your mother broke his hand. He was one of the first people to hold you and he loved you. If you would like to know more about your Uncle Fred, ask Hermione or your Uncle George, there isn’t a person who would know more about him than those two._

Hermione couldn’t read anymore, she knew there were likely more people for Teddy to learn about but she couldn’t physically turn the page or mentally digest it. Tears streamed down her face and her hands shook as she closed the book and set it beside her on the couch.

“I know it doesn’t compare to what you gave me, but...” Jared was promptly silenced when Hermione sprang from the couch, made her way to him and pulled him up and into a tight hug. His surprise was evident but hugged her as she sobbed into his chest with no sign of her stopping. His horrified eyes darted to Sam and Paul. “I think I broke her,” he whispered. Paul and Sam looked at each other and then they started chuckling as Hermione continued to sob, hugging him tighter and Jared winced.

“No, Jared, my gift to you doesn’t compare to what you’ve given me,” she sobbed, “To what you’ve given Teddy, you have no idea what you’ve done.”

“You like it?” He questioned nervously.

She took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. “No, I _love_ it, I can only imagine how much effort and thought you put into it. How did you even get those photos or the information for the personal messages? I know it’s your handwriting.”

“When you were in your lab or out shopping, I floo called Harry and George and asked them about the people you lost. When they asked why I told them what I wanted to give you for Christmas. They told me everything they could and they provided the photos for me to use.” She squeezed him once more and he winced again. “You’re strong for someone so small,” he muttered.

She sniffle-laughed. “I’m a werewolf,” she replied, drawing back from him and reaching up to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Jared.”

“It was nothing,” he mumbled embarrassedly.

“No, it was brilliant and very thoughtful.”

She returned to the couch and spying the other book, she removed it from the box, seeing the cover holding the Quileute Tribe symbol, an exact replica of their tattoos, and above it said ‘The Quileute Pack.’

She flicked through the book, seeing more than a few pages had been filled with photographs, both wizarding and muggle; photographs of Hermione, Teddy, Paul, Sam and Jared. Sometimes they were on their own, other times they were together. There were photographs that they knew were being taken as they were all looking at the camera and smiling, pulling funny faces or in Hermione’s case, hiding behind pillows and her clothing. Some of them had been taken without anyone noticing, such as Jared and Teddy running down the beach and tripping over, Paul and Teddy sat in the library with Paul reading to him and Teddy listening enraptured, his hair, skin and eyes matching Paul’s.

There was a photograph of Hermione and Sam dancing in the kitchen as they made dinner, and one of Sam who had fallen asleep on the couch with Teddy peacefully sleeping on his chest. There were photographs of them racing across the floor in their socks, of them playing board games and laughing and having fun. Hermione hadn’t even known they’d been taken. It seemed Jared had planned this for a while since most of the photographs were muggle, the last few weeks worth of photographs being wizarding, obviously, he’d borrowed her wizarding camera on the sly.

There were still many, many blank pages and that only meant more memories to come as the pack grew stronger and in size.

She felt her tears welling up once more and she put the book down to hug Jared once more, him wincing painfully and she sprang back from him.

“Sorry,” she laughed, wiping away her tears with the backs of her hands before retaking her seat on the couch, seeing Paul watching her.

“I don’t know if I should give you mine, I don’t want you to pass out,” he teased.

She scowled at him and they chuckled at her before he handed her the wrapped box and she took it, removing the paper, followed by the lid. Inside was a black leather journal and she removed it from the box and opened it up, the parchment was old, she knew by the colour and the crinkles in the pages, it felt delicate and she was worried that it would break in her hands. The writing, language, she didn’t recognise it.

“I don’t recognise this language, what is it?” She asked, her hands trailing across the parchment softly.

“It’s Quileute, it isn’t often spoken these days, though Quil Ateara III often does speak it. We aren’t really taught it anymore so it’s a dying language.”

Her eyes darted to him, a confused frown on her face. “It’s obviously very old, what is it?”

“It’s the journal of the Third Wife.” Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. “From the day of her marriage till the day of her death.”

She stuttered, stumbling her words before she cleared her throat. “I can’t accept this. This is an important part of your Tribe’s history, not to mention, the property of the Blacks.”

Paul snorted at her. “You’re part of our Tribe now, or have you forgotten that whole scene of _Tribal Leader Ateara_ accepting you not only into the Tribe, but the pack as the Alpha Female? I spoke to Billy, Harry and Quil and they agreed that you should be in possession of the journal. It’s yours now regardless of your hesitation to accept it, it didn’t even take a lot of convincing on my part; they practically threw it at me and told me to give it to you. They thought it would be useful to you.”

She stared at him before slowly and carefully putting the book on the table and making her way over to him. He stood, knowing to expect a potential spine dislocating hug and he winced when she did just that.

“Thank you, Paul, that was very thoughtful of you,” she whispered.

“Billy and Quil said they’d help you translate it, that way they can teach you the language, well, some of it anyway,” he shrugged.

“Thank you.”

“There’s something else in the box.”

She released him from the hug and walked back over to the box, removing something that had been wrapped in bubble wrap. She removed it to reveal a display case and in the centre of it was Hermione’s Order of Merlin: First Class.

“You’re a hero, Hermione,” Paul spoke, walking over to her and taking the case from her, making his way over to the fireplace and he sat it on the centre of the mantelpiece for everyone to see. “You’re a hero and your sacrifices shouldn’t be hidden, they should be showcased. Everyone should know what you’ve done for the world, whether you want them to or not,” he said softly before gently pushing her in the direction of the couch.

“My turn,” Sam grinned.

“Is it going to make me cry?” She sighed, her eyes puffy and her face red and tearstained.

“I hope not,” he chuckled, handing her a small wrapped box.

She took it from him and unwrapped it, opening the box to reveal a silver charm bracelet. She took it out of the box and held it closer to her face, seeing several charms; three large wolves and a smaller one, and when she looked closer she could see that the wolves each had a name carved into them. Teddy, Paul, Jared and Sam. There was a crescent moon, as well as a witch’s hat and a circle that had the Quileute symbol carved onto it. The charms were evenly spread and more charms could be easily added.

“Silver’s okay, right?” He asked, looking worried.

“Yes, silver harming werewolves is just a myth,” she nodded.

“Good,” he breathed a sigh of relief. “I carved them myself, it was difficult and took me a couple of weeks but I finally managed to get it done,” he spoke, breaking her out of her trance, taking the bracelet from her and slipping it around her wrist, fastening it. “Four wolves, one for each of us, a witch’s hat and crescent moon for you and the Quileute symbol. A representation of our pack.”

Tears streamed down her face and he chuckled when she flung herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

“Thank you, I love it,” she whispered. She felt his mouth pull into a smile against her neck. When she pulled back she laughed and wiped at her eyes.

“We have one final gift for you,” Jared grinned. “A collective one.”

Hermione groaned. “No, I don’t think my emotional state can take it,” she cried.

They snorted but stood and moved to gather before her, standing in a line. Together they removed their t-shirts and Hermione tilted her head to the side, unsure of what they were doing, but then she saw it and her eyes widened before she rose to her feet.

On the left side of Paul’s rib cage, on the left side of Jared’s rib cage and on Sam’s pectoral muscle, above his heart was a tattoo. Hermione’s name to be specific.

“You got my name tattooed on you!” She exclaimed.

“Yeah,” they chorused, grinning at her.

“Why would you do that? That’s permanent, you’re stuck with it forever,” she spluttered.

“Well, we thought it seemed fair, you’ve got our names on your spine,” Jared shrugged.

“Yes, but that wasn’t my choice, I woke up and it was just there. It’s a symbol of my bond with you, with the pack, as is my Quileute tattoo.”

“Exactly, so we thought that since you have a way of symbolising the pack bond, we should too, so we got your name tattooed on us,” Paul shrugged.

“But you’re stuck with it forever,” she argued

“So are you,” he fired back.

“Sam won’t get jealous over the fact that I have another man’s name permanently inked on my body, what if in the future you find someone and she sees that? She won’t understand why you have another woman’s name on your body, she won’t understand what it symbolises, she’ll just see red and get angry or upset.”

“Then that’s their problem,” Paul spoke with a tone of finality, ending the conversation and she blinked in surprise.

“But...”

“Do you appreciate what we’ve done?” Jared asked and Sam smirked, quickly understanding what he was doing.

“Yes, of course I do, but...”

“Do you understand why we’ve done it?”

“Yes, but...”

“Do you want to hurt our feelings?”

“No,” she sighed and glowered at the floor, her arms crossed over her chest. “When did you get it done?”

“Yesterday, we said we had an errand to run, thanks to our healing capabilities it already looks weeks old.”

She sighed. “You boys are a handful.”

“But you love us,” Jared grinned.

“But I love you,” she agreed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted, it’s been an eventful day.”

Paul snorted. “That’s putting it mildly. A jealous ex-boyfriend, a protective current boyfriend that almost killed said ex-boyfriend, getting naked in front of people we just met, you hexing your ex-boyfriend for trying to hurt us, your family revealing they know you’re a werewolf, being grilled about being shape-shifters, fireworks, you giving us ridiculously expensive gifts, us making you cry, then you yelling at us for getting your name tattooed on us.”

Hermione blinked slowly. “That was just today?” She asked.

“It was,” he spoke amused.

“I need sleep, and a lot of it,” she mumbled, rubbing her temples and trying to ward off a headache. 

She’d never had a day quite like it.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Sunday 25th December 2005**

"So, how was your Christmas?" Hermione asked Sam as they settled down in bed, cuddling.

"Despite not being allowed to bite you ex-boyfriend, it's been the best Christmas I've ever had."

She snorted and smiled up at him. "Yeah, mine too, despite Ronald's appalling behaviour."

"Has he always been like that?"

"Yes, though over the years his vocabulary and knowledge have improved, meaning he knows more insulting words and ways to hurt me. He's learned what to say to upset me and he's perfected his technique on how to get under my skin."

They fell silent, and when Hermione was on the verge of falling asleep, Sam spoke,

"I have something for you."

"What?" She mumbled tiredly.

"Another gift,"

Hermione groaned. "No, I can't take any more gifts."

He chuckled but he leaned over and opened the drawer of the bedside table, retrieving a small black velvet box. She pulled herself into a sitting position, taking the box from him and opening it, staring at the contents. Sat in the white satin cushion was a silver ring, the band twisted to look as though it was made of several infinity symbols and sat in the centre was a small diamond.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and barely breathing.

"It's _not_ an engagement ring," he told her, noticing the slight slumping of her posture and that's when he knew he'd made the right decision.

He'd considered buying her an engagement ring but didn't want to move too fast no matter their current circumstances. In as little as a week, they'd discovered the other's secrets, they'd confessed their love, met the other's family and friends and moved in together. It was likely inevitable that they'd one day marry but he also knew that no matter what Hermione said, she'd been through a lot and losing her fiancé', the man she'd planned to spend her life with, had deeply hurt her. It would take her some time to get used the idea of walking down the aisle with him, not Fred.

"I love you and there's no one else and there never will be. You are my life and my perfect match. I know that you'd planned on marrying and living your life with Fred before the war, I know you need time to come to terms with the idea of possibly marrying someone else. So, this is a promise ring. It's a promise that I will always love you. That I'm committed to spending my life with you and to being everything you and Teddy need me to be. So when you're ready, or _if_ you're ready, then you'll hopefully agree to marry me and be my wife. If not, I'll still love you."

"So we're engaged to be engaged?" She questioned.

He chuckled. "Essentially, yes, if you agree to it."

She smiled at him and held out the box to him. He smiled widely and took it from her, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it onto her left ring finger.

She smiled down at it softly before leaning over and kissing. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

~000~000~000~

**Monday 26th December 2005**

"Where exactly are we going?" Jared asked, speaking from the back seat of the truck where Teddy and Paul also joined him. Hermione sat in the passenger's seat and Sam was driving.

"It's a surprise, if I told you where we were heading, it would ruin the surprise."

Jared scowled and she chuckled at him as she continued to give Sam directions. He pulled over at the side of the road barely ten minutes later and they climbed out of the truck, looking around the patch of concrete land that was surrounded by trees and snow.

In front of them sat a building that showed a brilliant white brick exterior and the front of the building had several windows with black window frames and ledges. The entrance to the building was a large and wide glass door framed in black, and rather than there being steps to reach the door, there were two ramps that levelled out in the middle, making it accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. In the centre of the building above the door, there was a large sign, but it was covered with a sheet to hide the name. There was a small car park out the front of the building for both employees and clients.

"What are we doing here?" Sam asked her, eyeing her carefully.

"Do you like the look of it?"

"Why?"

She rolled her eyes and thumped him in the arm, the others sniggering at her.

"Do you like the look of it?"

"Yes, I like the look of it, why?"

She gave him a look of innocence and they all snorted, not fooled by it. "I don't know if you've noticed, but we are currently stood on a piece of land that is exactly in the centre of both La Push and Forks."

"Your point being?" Jared arched his eyebrow.

She grinned at him before pulling her wand and with a wave, the sheet disappeared from view leaving behind a sign that said, ' _Uley & Pack_,' in a black and simple font, and on either side of the writing sat a Quileute symbol in black and grey.

Their eyes swung back and forth between the building and Hermione, and Teddy giggled at the looks on their faces, bringing them back to reality.

"I...I...I..." Sam stuttered in surprise and she laughed at him. It wasn't every day something was able to make Sam speechless.

"Welcome to the next step in your business."

"But...But...But..."

She laughed again, Jared and Paul shaking their heads before smirking, enjoying Sam's speechless surprise.

"Your business is taking off, Sam, and people are starting to hear of the brilliant work you're doing, not only here, but in Forks, too. This building will allow you to hold more materials and protect them from damage from weather and animals, as well as theft. You can hold meetings here with clients, rather than you going to them if you're busy and they can arrange a meeting with you here and you can showcase what you've been able to do in the past. With an actual building tied to your name, word will spread and business will only increase," she smiled at him. "And you can attempt to decline my gift as much as you want, we both know you'll end up giving in, like Jared had to," she winked at them cheekily when two of them scowled, one of them laughed and the other giggled. "I want to see you grow as a businessman and contractor, which you're brilliant at and I've seen how happy it makes you when you're helping people fix up their homes and businesses. I'm just giving you the materials and better equipping you to do so." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, once he'd automatically lowered it to her seeing as he was too tall for her. "Come, I'll show you around."

She took his hand and pulled him towards the entrance, he was still silent in surprise and Jared followed along with Paul and Teddy. Hermione took the set of keys from Sam and opened the door, stepping inside and the door shut automatically behind them.

They looked around as the smell of wood and fresh paint hitting their noses and they all made faces of disgust but shook it off. The front of the building had been separated, making a reception area for the clients. In the top left corner sat a dark wooden reception desk and a chair. The desk was neat and tidy with a computer screen and keyboard, a telephone and a stationary sorter. There was a comfy-looking black couch against the wall by the door and a couple of matching chairs on the wall beside it. The walls were decorated in cream with black and silver accents. The ' _Uley & Pack'_ sign had been painted onto the wall behind the reception desk, and the walls were littered with several empty photo frames which could be filled with photographs of their previous contracting jobs as well as of the boys, like a 'meet the team' kind of thing, which Hermione thought was a nice touch. There were three doors in the room, one to the right, one to the left and one on the back wall.

"The one on the left is a small storeroom containing anything you need, including stationary and a printer and photocopier, which is connected to that computer," she nodded to the reception desk. "I think we'll go right first," she nodded to herself, pulling Sam in that direction.

On the wall by the door sat a keypad and Hermione punched a few numbers into the keypad, it beeping each time she did until it made a clicking sound and she pulled the door open.

Sam made a surprised sound in the back of his throat while Jared stared and Paul cursed. Hermione smacked him on the back of the head and he scowled at her.

"That, Teddy, is the kind of language you will not be using until you are at least forty, got it?"

He nodded and reached out for a hug, though he didn't want her to take him from Paul, he was happily tugging at his hair, his own flashing from blonde to black.

She looked around, pleased that everything was complete. This part of the building was the actual warehouse where all the materials and tools would be kept. The floor was polished concrete which shined when she found the light switch and the rest of the lights came on, showing them just had big the warehouse actually was. It had a section for tools to be kept, a section for glass doors and a section for wooden materials, and there was a section where the boys could do their prep-work rather than having to do it on site. Wooden storage shelves were on the walls and metal shelving units were placed strategically in the room to allow for the movement of beams and other things.

"How big is this place?" Paul asked.

"I believe they said it's one-hundred and twenty yards in length and fifty-five yards in width."

"A football field then," Jared said as he continued to look around the large room.

"Wouldn't know; sports isn't my thing, muggle or magical," she shrugged. "There are two other entrances into the warehouse, the door at the back of the building and there is a door to left," she pointed them both out. Although there were no windows in the warehouse, there was one close the door to the left. "I'll show you were that leads now."

They followed her over to the door and she stepped inside and closed the door behind them. It was an office. The walls were a pale blue and the flooring a light wood grain, a desk sat in the right corner and a large comfy looking chair sat behind it. On the desk sat a computer screen and keyboard, a telephone and a stationary sorter. There was a small shelving unit in the left corner filled with paperwork, and a small table sat next to it with a printer sat atop. There were two chairs sat in front of the desk and on the left wall there was a door with two white couches angled in the shape of an 'L' and a small table sat in front of them. Again, the walls had several empty photo frames.

"This is Sam's office," she explained. "I had wished to decorate it in red, seeing as it's your favourite colour, but someone suggested pale blue instead and I think it'll have a calming effect on your clients when you take meetings." He stared at her in surprise and she grinned up at him. "I gave you this office as you can easily access the warehouse and you can also see what anyone else may be doing through the window I asked to be installed," she pointedly looked at Jared and Paul, who gave her a look of innocence, both she and Sam snorted. "Like I haven't seen those looks before," Hermione rolled her eyes.

She then left out of the door to the left, stepping into a hallway with dark carpeted flooring and cream walls, again with empty photo frames on the walls, only this time they were much bigger. She led them to the door directly opposite from Sam's office and when they stepped inside, Jared and Paul both made a sound of surprise and this time Sam laughed.

The office was decorated in pale green and cream with light wood grain flooring. There were two dark wooden desks, one against one wall with a chair behind it and another, the exact same and on the opposite wall so there was some space between them but they were facing each other. The desks both sat a computer screen and keyboard, a stationary sorter and a telephone. In the centre of the back wall, there was a wooden shelving unit filled with paperwork and books for show, but if you looked closely, you would see that Hermione had charmed them to appear muggle, when in fact they were magical textbooks to keep them both entertained and out of trouble if they had a slow day at work.

"This, boys, is your office. I could've given you one to yourselves but I think you'd lose your minds if you couldn't look at each other every five minutes."

Sam laughed as they scowled at her and Teddy giggled. She stepped out of the office and closed the door, and that's when they noticed the plaque on the door that said, 'J Cameron,' and 'P Lahote,' similar to Sam's.

She pointed out the door to the right behind Paul's and Jared's office. "That's the filing room where you can keep all of your client's personal information in the filing cabinets so you can't lose anything." She pointed out two doors to the left behind Sam's office. "Those are two spare offices. The pack will soon be growing which means they're likely to help with jobs when they can and I want them to feel included and just as important when that happens." Sam gave her a soft and loving look. She pointed to the door on the right. "That's an empty room, I thought in the future you may think of hiring an architect and they'll need a design room, if so, that's useful, if not, do as you wish with it. To the left is the bathroom and this is the kitchen and break room," she stopped in front of the final door at the end of the corridor and pushed it open.

The room was decorated in red and cream with a wood grain countertop that sat a kettle, a toaster and a microwave. Underneath the countertop, there were cupboards, some real and some for show and it was the same for the kitchen drawers. In the corner of the room, there was fridge-freezer and a table with four chairs sat in the centre. Off to the right, there was a cream coloured couch and two matching armchairs with a table sat in the middle and a TV mounted on the wall.

"So, what do you think?" She turned to face them. Paul set Teddy on the ground and he giggled before running to climb on one of the chairs. "I know the building could've been bigger, but if needs be, I can work a little magic."

"It's perfect," Sam said softly, taking her hand and pulling her into a hug as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How'd you even find this place?"

"I was looking around for potential properties to invest in a while back and I came across this. As Christmas approached and I struggled to find you a gift, I thought this would be perfect for you, so I bought it. But it wasn't like this when I did; it was still in the process of being built. The man I bought it off was setting up a furniture business but his father became ill and he had to use his funds to pay for the medical bills and the building of this place stopped for six months. His father passed away and he gave up on the business, not that he had the funds to continue anyway. I bought the land off him and I felt for him so I gave him enough to cover what he'd already spent on construction. It turns out he'd already bought most of the furniture, the desks and computers, so I bought those off him, too," she shrugged. "I only had a week until Christmas so I called in a favour and some magical contractors came to complete the building and I got someone in to help me decorate the place. Where this building should've taken weeks –maybe even months- to complete, we got it done in a single week. They all came in early this morning to put the finishing touches on everything. So, not only do you have a newly built building, you're the first people besides the contractors to set foot in here," she smiled.

"Thank you, you have no idea what you've done for me," Sam muttered into her hair and he kissed her forehead. "And you're right, it doesn't feel right accepting a gift such as this, this hardly compares to what I gave you, but I know you'll be hurt if I don't accept it and you'll guilt-trip me."

"I gave you a building, you've given me and Teddy a pack and a family," she whispered, "That is the most precious gift in the world to me and one I'll always treasure." He kissed her forehead again.

"Speaking off gifts..." They turned their heads to see that Paul and Jared had already rummaged through the contents of the fridge and they were currently sat at the table munching away. "We noticed a certain ring on a certain finger," Paul said innocently.

"Reign in your excitement," Hermione rolled her eyes, pulling her wand and flicking it, her magic catching Teddy as he fell off the armchair. He giggled and clapped as he was placed back on his feet only to run over and climb up onto the couch. "We're not engaged yet."

"We're engaged to be engaged," Sam grinned, making Hermione laugh at him with the shifters sniggered at their Alpha.

"What do you say we make a start on putting your own touch on this place ready for all the clients you're sure to have," Hermione spoke. "I'll apparate to the house and get any photos I can find and I'll bring them back here."

They nodded at her in agreement and so she took her wand and apparated back to the house.

~000~000~000~

They'd been going through the photos Hermione had collected for the past two hours, it having taken them so long due to them getting distracted by half of what they discovered and having to watch after Teddy, the little boy determined to break something with the way he kept flinging himself headfirst off all the furniture.

Eventually, Hermione resorted to using a muggle camera to take their individual photos for the reception area, but that took a while too since they couldn't keep a straight face long enough for Hermione to take the picture. After many threats of being hexed, Hermione quickly snapped a photo of each of them and she used her magic to develop the photos but seeing as it wasn't a wizarding camera, the photos wouldn't move.

Once they were developed, she enlarged them and placed them in the photo frames around the ' _Uley & Pack'_ sign, finding spare plaques and carving their names into them before placing them beneath each of the corresponding photo frames.

"Your turn," Sam said, holding his hand out for the camera expectantly.

She blinked at him. "But, I'm not one of you," she frowned.

He scowled at her. "Yes, you are, you're a part of this pack. You hold this pack together, we wouldn't be a pack without you. We were called a 'pack' but it wasn't true until we met you. You may not be a contractor but you are a part of this pack and a part of the team. We may need your help from time to time, the clients should know who you are and how important you are to us."

She felt her eyes well up before she pushed back the tears and then got into position, finding it hard to keep a straight face with the faces and gestures Paul and Jared were doing behind Sam's back. Sam took the photo and he smiled seeing that Hermione looked genuinely happy; her eyes shined, her smile was happy and breathtaking and her hair surrounded her face in a halo of curls. She looked beautiful and he was proud to show her off to potential clients.

"Teddy's turn," said Sam, crouching down and snapping a photo as Teddy turned his head and grinned up at him. Hermione pushed back the tears before she took the camera from him to develop the photos, later placing them in the photo frames.

"Group photo?" She suggested, the three shifters looking to each other and shrugging.

With a little magic, Hermione levitated the camera into place and set the timer before quickly darting across the room and into position before the flash went off. After she developed and framed the photo, she took a step back and smiled. She stood in the middle with Teddy in her arms and Sam stood on her right, his arm around her waist. Jared was on her left, his arm around her shoulders and Paul stood on Sam's right, his hand clapping Sam's shoulder, but his other hand had snaked up and he was giving Sam bunny ears. She chuckled when Sam noticed and he turned to a smirking Paul and slapped him on the back of the head, Jared receiving the same treatment for encouraging Paul with his laughter.

"We're not interrupting are we?"

They all turned to look behind them, seeing Billy being wheeled into the reception area by Jacob, who looked around in surprise and intrigue.

"Of course not," Hermione smiled, walking over to greet them.

She bent at the waist and kissed his cheek, rising to full height and offering Jacob a smile. He smiled back tentatively and the others approached, Teddy followed and Sam plucked him from the ground when he made a dash for the still-open door.

"Nice try, Teddy," his voice rumbled in amusement. "Next time you'll have to be quicker."

"There will not be a next time," Hermione spoke, looking to Teddy disapprovingly. "Right, Teddy?" He nodded sadly, causing the others to snort. She turned her attention back to the new arrivals. "What can we do for you, Billy?"

"Oh, pardon an old man, but I just wanted to see how this place had come along."

"You're not old, Billy," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Wait, you knew about this?" Sam asked in disbelief.

"Of course I did, my boy," Billy snorted. Hermione laughed at his shocked expression.

"We're just working on the finishing touches, would you like a tour?"

"If it's not too much trouble," he replied.

"Of course it isn't, don't be daft," Hermione waved him off. "Boys, this is now your property, give Billy the tour."

They grinned at her before Sam handed Teddy to Paul and he took the handles of the wheelchair, pushing Billy past the desk and into the hallway, disappearing from view. She turned to look at Jacob and he seemed to have relaxed now that Sam had left.

"Would like anything to drink or eat?" She asked him.

"I'm alright, thanks,"

"That's probably for the best, I think the boys have eaten everything in the kitchen anyway," she said amused and then she took a seat on one of the armchairs, gesturing for him to do the same.

"So, Jacob, how has your Christmas been?"

~000~000~000~

By the time the others returned, Hermione had Jacob laughing to the point where he was doubled over on himself, hands gripping his ribs and his eyes watering. She turned to smile at the others and Jacob immediately sobered when he saw them, too, his form tensing.

"What are you two laughing at?" Sam asked with an arched eyebrow and looking amused.

"Now that would be telling, Sammy," she smiled and he shook his head at her.

"We best be going; I promised Harry we would go over some tribal business," Billy spoke.

"Thank you for coming by."

"You've done a wonderful job on the place, and in such little time, too," he winked at her knowingly. "Jacob, would you mind waiting outside, I have a private matter to discuss with Hermione?"

He looked between them confused and suspicious but nodded, standing to his feet and stepping out of the building.

"I can sense it," she spoke immediately, somehow knowing what he wished to speak to her about. "He's definitely not the one that's going to change next, but he will. The feeling I get from him is stronger than last time, far stronger, but it's nowhere near what I felt at the bonfire, and judging by the time frame, that change should be occurring within the next few weeks."

"How long would you estimate for Jacob?"

She frowned, bringing her hand up to rub against her chest. "A few months maybe, unless something happens to trigger it, maybe a vampire or a difficult situation." He nodded. "Thank you," she said suddenly.

"For what?" He asked with his head tilted slightly.

"For gifting me the journal of the Third Wife and for offering to teach me some of the Quileute language."

He smiled at her. "I couldn't think of anyone better to know the ins and outs of our Tribe. I believe that one day, you shall be a truly important part of our history, just as the Third Wife is."


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 8

**Friday 6th January 2006**

Hermione was in her potions lab back at the house after lunch. That morning Harry had floo'd over to collect Teddy so they could spend the day together in London, and she and the others had spent all morning at the office. She and Sam had a meeting with an advertising agent who was currently making plans to help them better advertise and promote the newly named 'Uley & Pack.' They were in talks of a new website, an ad on the radio and possibly a TV ad, and when he'd left, Hermione had popped back to the house to make lunch before returning to the office.

She'd all but taken the role of the receptionist when she was there, answering the phone, greeting possible clients and conversing with them in the waiting room until Sam came out to meet them. When Sam was in a meeting, she made sure that Paul and Jared were on their best behaviour, which was _very_ difficult. When it came to lunch, Hermione apparated home, whipped up a quick meal and brought it back to the office, eating with the boys and then she returned home for the afternoon so she could check on some of her brewing potions and complete potion orders for St. Helena's Hospital.

She'd been there for an hour when she felt her magic start to hum as it rushed through her veins. She shivered at the feeling before shaking her head and doing her best to focus on her potion. Fifteen minutes after that she gasped and dropped the empty potion's vial to the ground, gripping the edge of her workbench as she heard the glass smash against the stone floor.

Her back felt as though someone had branded her with a hot iron poker and she clenched her teeth and felt her eyes leaking tears. When the pain ebbed she straightened before darting from her lab and heading straight to the bathroom. She threw the door open and pulled her robes off, dropping them to the floor before she lifted the back of her t-shirt and peered over her shoulder in the mirror. Her eyes locked onto that of the names on her spine, in black elegant calligraphy. Only there weren't three as she expected there to be, there were four. The fourth name being Embry.

That had hurt like hell! When receiving the tattooed markings of the others' names, she hadn't felt anything at all, she hadn't even known they were there until Sam had pointed them out. She'd woken to them after a peaceful sleep but at the time, her magic had been calming, settling. When she bit and marked Sam as her mate, the very magic in her core had been shifted out of balance and for that, Hermione suspected was why she'd felt no pain. Her magic had long since settled and with the balance of her magic righted, there was nothing protecting her from the pain she'd just experienced.

She gave a laugh of disbelief, it quickly stopping when she heard a howl in the difference. She spun on her heel and rushed to her bedroom, almost tripping over her own feet before she reached the window, barely making out a large dot in the distance and heading down the beach.

Just knowing what it was, she made her way downstairs, barely remembering to slip on her coat to protect her from the cold January weather and the snow that still covered the ground, before she left the house, standing a little ways from it on the beach, silently waiting.

It slowly approached her, the large wolf with grey colouring and black spots scattered about his fur, of which was far longer than the rest of the packs'; she knew he'd need a haircut once he'd changed back. The wolf walked slowly towards her but she knew he wasn't afraid of her, it was more the feeling that he didn't want to frighten her.

The wolf stopped five feet before it reached her and she slowly walked forward and lifted her hand, the wolf's head lowering as he sniffed at her hand, his eyes closing and he dropped onto the ground on his stomach, whimpers sounding.

Hermione looked down at him softly before she kneeled on the ground beside him, and without thought, she wrapped her arms around the wolf's neck, pressing herself into his soft fur.

"Everything is going to be fine," she whispered softly, "I won't let anyone hurt you, Embry." He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes wide in shock and she smiled at him. "Yes, I know it's you, and I knew this was going to happen. You are a part of something so special, you have no idea. You're a part of a pack, you have a brotherhood and family that will love you and protect you, just as you will them."

Her eyes darted about her surroundings and although it was fairly quiet by her house seeing as she didn't get many visitors and the children and teens of the Tribe tended to populate the other side of the beach, she didn't want Embry to be out in the open in case someone happened upon them.

"Come on, Embry, you may not feel the cold, but I do." She unfolded her arms from around him and stood to her feet, the large wolf looking up at her questioningly. "I'll give you a quick explanation of what's going on but you'll learn the rest from your Alpha and your pack when they return, until then, we'll keep each other company and we'll see if we can be successful in helping to get you back to your human form, though I have been told it's difficult, it took the boys three days, one of them it took nearly two weeks."

She turned and when she heard paws crunching against the snow behind her, she knew he was following. She stopped at the stairs of the porch and turned to face him.

"I'm sure you're already confused as it is, and I don't want to overwhelm you further, but this is where you need to be. The home of your pack. You will be safe here and you will face no judgement from anyone, particularly me. So just be aware that, I, just like you, am different and that this is not a normal house."

She walked up the steps and entered the house, holding the door open for him. The large wolf barely squeezed through the door frame and his eyes wandered about the room. When his eyes landed on that of her the walls covered in moving photos, his eyes snapped to hers and she gave him a sheepish smile before the wolf then collapsed to the ground with a dull 'thud.'

Hermione blinked. "Wonderful," she sighed, looking down at the unconscious wolf.

~000~000~000~

All he could remember was his argument with his mother. She'd been yelling at him for some reason he couldn't even remember, she was always shouting at him for one reason or another; he hadn't done the dishes, he hadn't cleaned his room, he'd gotten a bad grade at school, so he couldn't actually remember what the cause of the recent argument had been.

He hadn't been feeling right for weeks. Some days he felt run down and could barely get out of bed, other days he was so energized he barely slept and couldn't sit still. He found it hard to concentrate and his senses seemed to always be overwhelmed by light, smell and sound. His appetite had improved massively, before he would be full after eating a meal, now it took close to three helpings until he no longer felt hungry and a couple of hours later, if that, he was hungry again. His body temperature seemed to change, too; some days it was normal and other days it was as though he were running a fever.

And to top it off, it was as though his body had gone through puberty in a matter of weeks. A few months ago he was an average-sized and scrawny teenager with hardly any muscle or strength, and now he had sprouted up to six-foot-four and not only filled out, but put on a large amount of muscle.

He'd been fidgety and anxious that day and he'd walked out of school and gone straight home, not feeling well. He had a pounding headache and he'd felt nauseous simply breathing had his stomach twisting. He couldn't think straight and then his mother had started yelling when she saw him coming through the door.

He hadn't stayed there long, quickly walking out. He'd been feeling unrelenting anger and his body had begun to shake uncontrollably and before he knew it, he was looking down at himself, at his paws and fur. He'd found a puddle and looked into it to see not him, but a wolf.

And then he felt a pull in his chest and although he was confused, frightened, surprised and still angry at the things his mother had been saying, he couldn't help but need to follow the pull. It led him to the beach and with his improved eyesight he could see the large house up ahead and in the back of his mind, he registered that it belonged to the girl he'd met at the bonfire. The one that had been kind to him and defended Paul, Jared and Sam. The one that had quieted Leah and her admittedly nasty comments. The one that had been welcomed into and made a member of the Tribe. Hermione.

When he saw the house he couldn't explain his reaction to it, but he felt safe, calm, at home. As he neared closer to the house he saw her stood there, as though she were waiting for him, but she couldn't have known. Could she?

He approached her slowly and stopped five feet from her, not wanting to frighten her but much to his surprise she rolled her eyes and slowly closed the distance between them, holding her hand out. He lowered his head and her scent of strawberries and vanilla filled his nose. But his mind screamed at him. ' _Safety_!' ' _Home_!' ' _Pack_!'

It was all too much and he collapsed the ground on his stomach, internally crying and screaming and shouting because he was so confused, so overwhelmed. What had happened to him? He could hear the whines coming from him and then she kneeled beside him and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly and he relaxed, feeling comforted by her presence and touch.

"Everything is going to be fine," she promised softly, "I won't let anyone hurt you, Embry."

He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes wide in shock and she smiled at him.

How did she know it was him?

"Yes, I know it's you, and I knew this was going to happen. You are a part of something so special, you have no idea. You're a part of a pack, you have a brotherhood and family that will love you and protect you, just as you will them."

His mind filled with thoughts he couldn't comprehend and he tried to understand what she was saying to him but he just couldn't. It was too much.

"Come on, Embry, you may not feel the cold, but I do. I'll give you a quick explanation of what's going on, but you'll learn the rest from your Alpha and your pack when they return, until then, we'll keep each other company and we'll see if we can be successful in helping to get you back to your human form, though I have been told it's difficult, it took the boys three days, one of them it took nearly two weeks."

What? He had a pack? An Alpha? Were there others like him?

He followed after her, his large form towering over her as she walked to the house and she stopped at the stairs.

"I'm sure you're already confused as it is and I don't want to overwhelm you further, but this is where you need to be. The home of your pack. You will be safe here and you will face no judgement from anyone, particularly me. So just be aware that, I, just like you, am different and that this is not a normal house."

Confused, he followed her and squeezed his large frame through the door frame and his eyes took everything in. From the large and spacious rooms, to the comfortable furniture and the colours used. The house felt warm and safe and like _home_. His eyes landed on the many photographs that covered the walls and he felt his head spinning when he saw the majority of them actually _moving_.

He looked to her and back at the photographs and then everything went black.

~000~000~000~

He had no idea how long he'd been out for but when he opened his eyes it was to see the flames of the lit fireplace from where he laid on the rug in front of it. He could feel hands running softly through the fur on his head and he turned his head to see Hermione sat beside him with a book propped up on her lap and her eyes focused on the words before her. Feeling the movement, her eyes flickered to his and she smiled softly, closing the book and standing up, walking to the kitchen.

She came back with a tray in one hand and a large bowl in another and she placed them in front of him.

"I know you're likely hungry, so I have some food for you. Oh, and some tea to help calm you."

She retook her seat on the ground, watching him until he lowered his head and pulled the chicken pieces into his mouth. When he'd finished eating he slurped up the hot liquid and he admitted that he did feel better now that he wasn't hungry anymore.

"Now that you're calmer, I'm going to explain what happened." She scratched him behind the ear as she began to talk, the effect calming and comforting. "I think you've discovered that you're not an average human, in fact, you are very special and have been gifted this amazing ability. I know this is going to be hard for you to comprehend, but believe me, I would never lie to you. I want nothing more than to see you safe and happy, so everything I am to say is the truth."

He believed her, he didn't know how or why, but he knew she wouldn't lie to him. He felt safe with her, protected and cared for.

"I know you've grown up on the legends of the Tribe, of their ancestors being spirit warrior shape-shifters that protected their members from Cold Ones, and I also know that you believed them to be stories invented to keep children entertained around the bonfire. Embry, I can tell you that you have just become a part of a select few that know the truth behind those legends. All legends are born from some truth but this one _is_ true. 'Cold Ones' refer to vampires and I can, in fact, tell you that they are real. I can also tell you that there are shape-shifting wolves protecting the Tribe from them."

He didn't want to believe her but deep down in his heart and the back of his mind, he knew what she was saying to be true. He could feel it. Hell, he _was_ a large wolf!

"There are three other shape-shifting wolves that have been protecting the Tribe for a while now and every night they take it in turns patrolling the borderlines of La Push. If a vampire comes anywhere near the land they kill them, and the Tribe is kept safe. You are the fourth member to change and when the rest of the pack returns home, they'll talk you through what is to happen next since they know better than I, as they've experienced it themselves. Afterwards, we will inform Council Members Billy, Harry and Quil of your changing and joining of the pack, and they will wish to speak to you also. The pack will teach you everything you need to know. I know it's a lot to take in but now you have a pack, a forever family who will not judge you, but instead support, love and care for you."

She fell silent allowing him time to digest what she'd divulged and his eyes darted from the fire and back to her.

 _'How are you involved in this?'_ He thought to himself, but somehow she seemed to know what he'd wished to ask.

"I know what you're thinking, how do I factor into this? It's a long story and I'll explain everything about my life before I moved here later, but I'll give you a quick explanation. I'm not a regular human either, I'm a witch and I was born one. With my wand and the magic I have in my body, I'm able to cast and practice amazing forms of magic. Back in Britain, there was a war between good witches and wizards and dark witches and wizards. We fought for years and we lost many lives, but in the end, we prevailed. The light won and the leader of the opposing side was destroyed. I truly did move here because my fiancé was killed; only he was murdered by a vampire during battle. My Godson, Teddy, he is also a wizard but he is too young for his magic to manifest itself in the usual way but he has a rare ability, too. He is a shape-shifter, in the form of him being able to change his appearance at will. Now, I am also the soul mate of your Alpha, which he will explain when you meet him. Due to this, I am bound to every member of the pack, in the sense that I am your Alpha Female. I will be your mother, sister and friend all rolled into one. It is my job to make sure you are happy and you are safe, and I will do everything in my power to protect you. That is why you likely feel comfortable with me. When you changed your bond with the pack was sealed, including with me." He blinked at her in surprise and she laughed.

He watched as rose to her feet, pulled a wooden stick from her pocket and much to his surprise, she turned on her heel and disappeared, reappearing on the other side of the room.

He almost fainted again.

" _Expecto Patronum_ ," she whispered and much to his shock and awe, a blue-hued large wolf formed out of mist and stood in front of them.

"Every witch or wizard has a spirit animal but it takes tremendous skill in order to be able to summon them before you and to protect you. What you're looking at is a fragment of my soul, spirit, life force and magic, all rolled into one." The wolf disappeared from his view and she sat back down next to him. "Now that I've given you a brief explanation, we'll work on helping you to change back but don't be discouraged if it doesn't work. As I said, the boys told me it took them three days and I've never had to do this before. So, try to clear your mind, calm your nerves and think of something that makes you happy, when you've done that, imagine yourself as a human."

~000~000~000~

She was expecting the boys home in an hour's time and Embry had yet to phase back to his human form but Hermione wasn't surprised. But just in case he was able to she'd summoned a large blanket –much to the wolf's shock- that would cover his naked form, more for his modesty than her embarrassment.

"You'd been feeling anger, yes?" The wolf nodded. "Why? School? Friends? Family?" He nodded on the last option. "Family, okay, mother?" He nodded. "What about?" The wolf shook his head, as if saying he wasn't sure. "Well, it's more than I had to go on before," she said to herself before she shuffled closer to him and he laid down beside her, resting his head on his paws as she ran her hand through his fur.

"Everyone has arguments with their parents, it's a part of growing up and it's their way of parenting us, they don't know how to get our attention without screaming and shouting. You're lucky that your mother seems to care enough to shout at you. My parent's disowned me," He looked up at her shocked and she smiled at him sadly. "To a degree, I understand why they did it but they never gave me a chance to explain or apologise, they kicked me out of the house and told me I was dead to them, that they didn't have a daughter. These arguments with your mother are a part of the teenage years of your life, and before you know it, there won't be any more arguments and your mother won't be here to care for you. I know it's hard to forgive her for anything that was said, or that you said in the heat of the moment, but now that it's over and you've walked away from it, let the anger and hurt go. Forgive her and know that she does it because she loves you."

~000~000~000~

Hermione had been dozing off, her head leaning against the couch cushion but when she heard a noise, she startled, her wand in her hand and pointing in the direction the sound had come from.

She blinked several times and she was surprised to see that human Embry stood in front of her, looking down at her in surprise and embarrassment, seeing as he was naked. Silently, she handed him the blanket and he quickly cocooned himself in it, looking down at the ground.

Hermione looked him over; he'd definitely changed since the last time she'd seen him. He was now six-foot-four, putting him at equal height with Paul. Like the rest of the pack, he was large and muscled, though he seemed to be slender and his long black hair spilt over his shoulders.

She smiled at him softly. "Let's get you a haircut, you'll be more comfortable."

She gestured for him to sit on the ground and he did so, sitting in silence. She used her wand to cut his hair short and she banished the fallen strands from the floor and his shoulders before she pulled herself up onto the couch and she was surprised when he followed her, laying down and resting his head in her lap. She looked down and into his vulnerable eyes and she silently lifted her hand and ran it through his short hair, so he now resembled the rest of the pack.

"I promise you, Embry, everything will be okay, it may not make sense now but soon you will understand that this is a blessing in disguise."

"How'd you know it was me?" He asked her quietly.

She smiled at him. "I am your Alpha Female, I've known since the night of the bonfire that you were going to become a member of the pack, despite the others' protests that it's impossible. The moment you changed you bound yourself to the pack and to me."

"Why's it impossible for me to be the way I am? You said I was a part of the pack."

"You are and you always will be. Embry, do you know who your father is?" She asked him curiously.

"No, my mother is originally from another Tribe. She refuses to talk about him, he left when she found out she was pregnant with me and she moved here. I've never met him, I don't even know his name. Why?"

She sighed, knowing what she did regarding the bloodlines, she knew this was going to cause some problems.

"You have in you the wolf gene of the Quileute Tribe. From what I've been told and from my understanding, there are only three bloodlines that contain the gene, Black, Ateara and Uley. The members of the pack are from one of these bloodlines and only these bloodlines. This means that since you have the gene and you have changed, your father can only have been from one of these bloodlines. Which begs the question, did your father have an affair with your mother, or is he a deadbeat dad?" She said quietly.

She looked up at the clock on the wall, the others would be back soon and she would have to be the mediator and try to keep things calm, particularly for Embry's sake.

It was going to be a long day.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Friday 6th January 2006**

"Honey, I'm home," Paul called as he stepped into the house. "Holy fucking shit!" He cursed in a whisper, seeing Hermione being perched on the couch only she wasn't alone and Embry's head still lay in her lap as she ran her hand through his hair comfortingly, his eyes closed and breathing even in his sleep.

Hermione shushed him and threw a Silencing Charm around Embry so they wouldn't wake him.

"Why are you cursing?" Jared asked amused as he stepped into the house. "Holy fucking shit!" He repeated Paul's words, staring silently.

"What's going...?" Sam stood rooted to the spot as he entered the house, staring at Hermione.

"Boys," she said softly, "We have a new member of the pack."

"No, that's not possible," Sam shook his head in denial.

"It shouldn't be possible, I know," she said, looking at him in understanding and smiling softly. "His name has appeared on my back, underneath yours. I knew he changed, I could feel it and he found his way here, likely due to my bond with him. He needed me and it brought him to me, to his pack. I met him outside in his wolf form."

"He's human," Jared blinked dumbly.

"He hasn't been for long, maybe thirty minutes, and he hasn't been asleep long either. I brought him in and fed him and I sat with him, trying to help him regain his bearings. A few hours later, he'd managed to change back."

"But how, it took me three days?" Jared frowned.

"And me two weeks?" Paul eyed the sleeping teen warily.

She shrugged. "Yes, but you didn't have me. I'm the one person that you feel completely safe around and I calm you. It makes sense that my presence was able to help him change back." She looked at Sam, he was just staring, barely blinking. "I've explained a little about the pack and the legends, as I think the rest should come from the three of you since you've experienced the same thing he is going through now. He knows the legends are true and he knows I'm a witch through a brief explanation, I will tell him the rest later. He knows that I am his Alpha Female through my bond with Sam, which I didn't explain either."

"But, it's not possible," Sam muttered.

"Sammy, I asked him who his father was." His eyes snapped to hers. "He doesn't know. His mother never told him his name and he's never met him. But you know as I do, there are only so many options available. Meaning there was an affair or..."

"Don't say it," he shook his head, quickly leaving the house and she heard his clothes rip and paws thudding against the ground.

She sighed and looked down at Embry softly.

"Or what?" Paul asked, sitting down on the other couch and Jared followed him.

"Or it's Sam's father." They blinked before understanding lit their features and they looked at each other and back to Hermione and Embry. "Either way, someone in the Tribe has a half-brother. And when Sam returns, I'll cast a spell to determine his blood lineage so no one is left in the dark and we can move past this. I won't allow a rift to be caused within the pack." They cleared their throats. "It's going to be a long night," she flopped her head back. "Boys, it seems we're having take out tonight, your choosing."

~000~000~000~

An hour later Sam returned wearing only jean shorts and the rest of him bare. Hermione watched him as he entered the house slowly, his eyes on Embry who still lay sleeping with his head on Hermione's lap.

His eyes caught hers and he took a deep breath and nodded, letting her know that he was fine.

"Come on, Sammy, better get yourself some food before it gets cold."

He walked over and sat on the couch beside Paul where they were eating instead of at the table. He noticed there was more food than usual and it was because there was a new member of the pack. They ate in silence and Hermione made sure there was enough left for Embry when he woke.

"How did it happen?" Sam finally spoke after they'd finished eating.

"From what I managed to gather when he was in his wolf form, he had an argument with his mother. He couldn't remember what it was about." She then looked up at him. "We need to address the issue of lineage."

Sam stiffened and Paul and Jared eyed him carefully.

"Boys, keep an eye on him for me, if we're not back before he wakes, just shout. Harry will be bringing Teddy back soon, too."

She carefully lifted Embry's head off her and she shuffled from under him, cushioning his head with a pillow and he shifted in his sleep but didn't wake. She took Sam's hand and pulled him up the stairs and into their bedroom, shutting the door behind them and putting up a Silencing Charm as he sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed and Hermione turned to face him.

"I know you don't want to think about it but we have a new member of the pack, and he _is_ either a Black, Uley or Ateara. He is a member of the pack and this is a family, a brotherhood, but Embry is someone's half-brother. If you would like to know which bloodline he comes from, I can tell you." He buried his head in his hands and sighed. "What do you want?" She asked him.

He shook his head. "I don't know," he mumbled.

"What do you need?"

"You," he said without hesitation.

"You have me," she replied, walking over to him and stopping in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him and he rested his forehead against her stomach. Her hands moved to his head and she ran them through his hair comfortingly. "You will always have me," she promised softly. "If Embry is your half-brother, then there's nothing you can do about it. But you have a choice, you can ignore the fact he's possibly related to you or you can embrace it, you can take him under your wing as your little brother and you can show him how to be a better person. You can show him what it means to be of Uley lineage. That is, of course, if he is related to you, otherwise, it's going to cause a lot of problems since it'll come out as someone having had an affair."

He sighed and nudged her t-shirt aside with his nose, nuzzling at the skin of her stomach.

"That tickles," she laughed and wriggled in his hold. He chuckled and his hands moved to tickle her ribs and she burst out laughing. "Stop that," she laughed.

She squeaked when she found herself on her back on the bed, with Sam leaning over her slightly as he continued to tickle her. She squealed in laughter and wriggled beneath him, trying to break free whilst also trying to fight off his relentless hands. It was useless so she distracted him the only way she knew would work. She lifted her head and kissed him. His hands stopped tickling her and gripped at her waist, pulling her closer to him and she ran her hands through his hair, tugging lightly on the strands. She pulled back smiling at him and she noticed that he now looked calmer and happy.

"You're beautiful," he spoke, pushing some fallen curls behind her ear and she smiled at him.

"We have a pack to get back to, we can't leave the children unattended for too long." He chuckled knowing she was right. "Whatever decision you make, I'll stand by you."

He pulled her up from the bed and they walked back down to the living room and when they entered it was to see Harry and Teddy, who'd just arrived and was conversing with Paul and Jared. He smiled at them and Teddy smiled sleepily when he saw her, reaching out to her. Hermione took him from Harry and Teddy snuggled into her neck, his eyes closing.

"How was your day?" She asked Harry.

"It was great, thanks, Teddy's a lot faster than I remember him being." She snorted at him. "A lot more mischievous, too. I've lost count of the number of times I had to stop him from doing something he shouldn't be."

"It's genetics," she and Harry smiled at each other sadly. "The Marauder in him is already taking effect, in a few years I'm going to be ripping my hair out."

Harry chuckled. "They would be proud," he commented. "I see you've been busy," he changed the subject and gestured to the still sleeping teenage boy on the couch.

She nodded. "Embry, the newest member of the pack, he changed for the first time a few hours ago."

"I'll leave you all to it then so I'm not intruding on pack business."

He kissed her cheek and hugged her, saying goodbye to Teddy who looked up from Hermione's neck to reach out for a hug. Harry chuckled and hugged him before saying goodbye to the boys and he disappeared through the floo.

Teddy reached out to Sam and Hermione handed him over as Teddy wrapped his arms around Sam's neck and buried his head against his shoulder. Hermione smiled softly at the sight, as she always did.

"I'll put him to bed tonight," Sam spoke and he turned and was about to head to the stairs when Teddy looked up, wide awake and he started wiggling in Sam's hold.

"Down," Teddy said and Hermione was proud when it came out clear.

Since meeting the boys, Teddy's speech had come on and developed massively; he was always following them around and trying to copy what they were doing, including speech, which was why Hermione was always telling Paul off for his language in front of Teddy.

Sam put Teddy down confused and they all watched as Teddy walked over to the couch where Embry was currently sleeping. Teddy stopped and stared, tilting his head to the side curiously before clambering up onto the couch, using the blanket wrapped around Embry to pull himself up. He climbed over Embry before settling down on his chest, laying down and making himself comfortable.

They all startled in surprise and they all made to rush forward when Embry suddenly sprang upright, and Teddy fell off his chest, falling sideways but on instinct, Embry caught him before he could hit the ground and he brought him to sit on his lap. Hermione let out a sigh of relief, as did the boys and Teddy was giggling happily. Embry looked around and his eyes widened when he saw just who his pack mates were.

"It's you," he mumbled, twisting until his feet were planted on the ground and Teddy was still on his lap.

"Embry, I would like to officially introduce to you your pack, Jared, Paul and your Alpha, Sam." His eyes looked down on instinct. "I told you they weren't gang members on steroids. They are shape-shifters, just like you."

Teddy giggled and pulled at Embry's hair. His eyes widened when his blonde hair changed to black, his eyes brown and his skin more of a russet tone.

"You're not going to faint again, are you?" Hermione teased.

He shook his head slowly, still staring at Teddy and Hermione chuckled whilst the others sniggered.

"Embry, I would also like to officially introduce to you, Teddy. The pup of the pack."

Teddy nodded in agreement and made a cute growling sound and approached before kneeling down by the couch. "Teddy, this is your Uncle Embry."

"Em-ry," he said excitedly and he hugged Embry tightly before placing a slobbery kiss to his cheek. Hermione chuckled and took Teddy from Embry and handed him to over to Paul.

"Ball!" He squealed in happiness and Paul and Jared kept his attention whilst Hermione sat next to Embry on the couch, taking his hand in hers and giving it a comforting squeeze.

"What happens now?" He muttered, glancing up at Sam.

"We call a meeting with Billy, Harry and Quil III, and everything will be explained. You won't be able to attend school for a while until you're able to control your phasing and your anger," Sam answered. "Anger is a trigger to the phasing and the secret of the pack must be kept, only the pack and the Tribal leaders are to know that we exist, no one else." Sam and Hermione shared a look and she nodded in agreement. "You can't go home either until you're able to control the change."

"But my mom and..."

"I'll take care of it," Hermione interrupted softly. "You're to stay here whilst you train with the boys, they'll teach you everything you need to know and when they think you're ready to be around others again, you can go back to school and return home. But until then, it's too dangerous for you to be around anyone but your pack."

"But you'll be here and so will he," he nodded to Teddy, happily tugging at Paul's hair. Honestly, by this point, they'd gotten used to it so they barely noticed when he was doing it.

"But we're your pack, I am your Alpha Female and Teddy is the pup. You cannot and you will not harm either of us. And if anything were to happen, I'm able to take care of it." She looked at Sam questioningly and he nodded. "Embry, with your permission I would like to perform a Lineage Charm on you. Your ability to shift is a strange occurrence due to your mother not being an original Quileute Tribe member, which means the gene has come from your father's side."

"You said it only comes from three lines."

"Yes, Black, Ateara and Uley, they are the original pack from the legends Billy speaks of and only those that are from these bloodlines will have the gene."

"So my father is either a Black, Uley or Ateara?"

"Yes. Sam is a direct descendent of the first Uley shifter. Paul is from the Uley bloodline and Jared is from the Black bloodline."

"You don't have an Ateara?"

"No, not yet, but someday we might, it's a possibility."

"What about Jacob?" He asked shyly.

"He's going to change," she told him, his whole posture slumping in relief. "I can feel the change in him but it won't be for a few months yet and you're not allowed to say anything to anyone regarding your abilities. Jacob's unaware of his lineage and will be informed when it's time, until then you must remain with the pack and only the pack." He frowned but nodded minutely.

"Do the test," he muttered.

She smiled softly before pulling her wand and he eyed her strangely whilst the others sniggered, they'd long gotten used to Hermione's magic.

"It won't hurt. I'll show you." She pointed her wand at herself and muttered the incantation before pointing it in the direction of Teddy. A purple string appeared first, coming from Hermione's heart and Teddy's and they connected in the middle. A red string followed and after that came a silver string.

"What do they mean?" Sam asked curiously.

"I am bound to Teddy by being his Godmother, his mother and his pack mother and mate," she informed them and they looked intrigued. "I'll need Sam and Jared since you represent two bloodlines. If the results come back negative it means you're likely to be related to the Atearas. We'll start with Jared."

He handed Teddy to Paul since he'd climbed onto his lap at some point during the conversation and he moved over to her. She pointed her wand at Embry and muttered the incantation before turning to Jared and repeating the words. She lowered her wand and they watched as a silver string suddenly shot out of their hearts and connected in the middle.

"What does it mean?" Jared asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"It means you're bound together by the way of the pack, otherwise, you are _not_ related. As far as I can tell, Embry is not from the Black bloodline." Jared shrugged and sat back down on the couch.

She stood from the couch and moved over to Sam, silently taking his hand in hers and he squeezed tightly. She knew he was afraid of the outcome, even if he didn't show it.

"I will support you," she reminded him softly.

She then cast the spell and everyone watched with bated breath as the silver string appeared. They waited for a few seconds for another to appear, and just when they thought it wasn't going to happen, it did. The second and final string was striped green and blue.

"What does it mean?" Embry asked quietly, his eyes on the string connecting him to Sam.

Hermione pressed herself into Sam's side in order to try to give him some comfort given what she was about to tell him.

"It means that you are bound by the way of the pack,"

"And?" Paul arched an eyebrow, knowing she was holding something back.

She took a breath before saying, "And that you are bound through blood. Embry and Sam are half-brothers, that's what the blue symbolises. The green symbolises that they share the same father."

Sam stiffened beside her and his breathing had all but stopped and just when she thought he was going to lose control and phase like the day he had at the Burrow, he took a deep breath and nodded. He removed his hand from Hermione's and he walked over to Embry, holding out his hand. Embry eyed it before gripping the blanket around him and standing up, taking his hand.

"It seems you and I share the same non-existent father," his deep voice rumbled.

"It seems so," Embry frowned. "What was his name?"

Sam stiffened but answered. "Joshua Uley."

Embry nodded but didn't comment further.

"Jared?" Sam spoke, stepping back from Embry. "Let Billy know we have a new member of the pack and that we're on our way to the meeting place."

Jared nodded before leaving out of the house.

"Why's he going outside?" Embry asked, shuffling on his feet nervously.

"Technology doesn't work around magic," Hermione shrugged in response. "Whilst you're with Billy, I'll speak to Embry's mother. He'll have to borrow some of your clothes until we can get him some more." She summoned her coat and slipped it on, taking Teddy from Paul and reapplying his coat. "What's your address?" She asked him. He blinked but answered her. "Isn't that close to Billy?"

"Yes," he replied and she nodded.

"Alright, I'll apparate to Billy's and walk the rest of the way. Make sure he eats his dinner," Hermione warned the others and then she turned on her heel, leaving behind a 'crack' and a stuttering Embry who almost fainted.

~000~000~000~

Hermione had visited with Embry's mother and she was a little surprised at how things had turned out. It was a lot easier than she thought it would've been, she didn't even have to use magic, just a few persuasive words and everything fell into place. Far too easily, she thought.

She hadn't been back long and she had no idea how long the others would be, so after putting Teddy to bed she made herself comfortable in the library, reading until she dozed off.

It was the early hours of the morning when she was woken by boots against the floor and she cracked open her eyes and smiled sleepily when Sam entered. Embry followed him, wearing a t-shirt, some jean shorts and trainers, looking around in wonder at her book collection.

"Paul and Jared patrolling?" She asked sleepily. Sam nodded and he took a seat on the couch with Embry following him. "Every book in here is magical," she told him and his eyes fell to her. "I will explain everything to you once we've all gotten some sleep, but if there's anything you wish to know, all you have to do is ask me or one of the boys, or you can find it in one of these books. My only warning to you is be careful. Some magical textbooks have the ability to harm and kill, and some I have in this room. If any of the books visibly vibrate or tingle when you touch them, don't read them as they'll either hurt you or kill you." He blinked at her. "Some of the books can move and bite, whilst others might just squirt you with water or make sound, depending on the book and its contents."

He shook his head and cleared his throat. "How was my mom?" He asked her.

"It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be," she confessed. "I didn't even need to use magic to confund her," she shrugged. "You'll be staying with us a lot longer than we anticipated."

"What do you mean?" He frowned and Sam looked confused, too.

"Your mother told me that she had been offered a temporary post in LA, six months." His eyes widened. "She wasn't going to take it because she didn't want to drag you away from your friends and put you into a school for six months only to return here. It's a fair bit of money, too, and she'll get a bonus every month, it's double the income she has now. I convinced her to take the position and rather than you going with her, you'll be staying here. I am to be your legal guardian for the next six months. In the morning she will be filling out the correct paperwork and sending it off and she leaves Monday morning. I told her I'd bring you to see her on Sunday after she'd finished packing."

"She just agreed to leave me with you, a total stranger? Like that?" He said disbelievingly.

She shrugged. "I may have name-dropped Billy, Quil and Harry. She called Billy and spoke to him and, of course, he vouched for me."

"That explains his disappearance during the meeting," Sam commented. "Also why he had a smile on his face when he returned."

She shrugged. "So, Embry, you'll be living here with your pack for the next six months."

"Paul and Jared live here, too?" He questioned.

"Yes, they do. Don't worry, there's plenty of room and you'll have a room to yourself. I'll give you a quick tour of the house and explain a few things, but before I do, house rules."

"Rules?" He frowned.

"The same rules apply to everyone in this house and they're fairly simple. No girls are to be brought back here and you're not to lie to me. Deal?" He nodded in reply. "Good, magic must be kept a secret from those that don't possess it and I'm not suppressing who I am and who I was born to be, just so you can get laid." He shifted in embarrassment and Sam hid a chuckle behind his hand.

Hermione stood and left the room and Embry followed as she gave him a quick tour and then took him to his room on the second floor.

"Jared and Paul are on this floor also but this is your room." She opened the door and his eyes widened at the size of it; it had to be triple the size of his box bedroom.

The room was simply cream and beige and Hermione resized the double bed to a queen-size to better fit his frame. "We'll decorate this room however you wish to, but for now, get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning. Good night and welcome to the pack, Embry."


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 5

**Saturday 14th January 2006**

A week had passed since Embry had phased and joined the pack, and surprisingly, things were going fairly well. Sam had commented that he couldn't understand how Embry was grasping the phasing process so quickly as he was able to phase on command, and it took him no more than an hour to phase back but his anger induced phases were a little more difficult to handle.

He'd phased a total of ten times due to anger and when Hermione and the boys were able to calm him down enough to phase back, he always had this horrified and guilty look on his face that he would send her and Teddy's way. Hermione would simply roll her eyes at him and put a calming cup of tea and some food in front of him, and Teddy, well, he thought the whole situation was brilliant.

Whenever Embry phased, rather than being terrified and screaming, he would laugh and squeal and clap his hands before running over to him and wrapping his tiny self around one of the large wolf's legs, much to the amusement of the others.

And it was after a week that Embry realised that he shouldn't feel worried or frightened that he might hurt Hermione or Teddy. Hermione never got upset with him, more often than not she looked amused, and it was obvious that Teddy had no fear for the pack, nor a sense of danger or self-preservation which Hermione explained was the Gryffindor and Marauder in him.

Embry had settled nicely into their family and routine and after a day or so, he was no longer uncomfortable around the pack, nor was he when he found himself phasing back and naked. Hermione had seen everyone but Jared naked, and she knew that would happen at some point, too.

Sam would often take Embry aside in the library and she didn't know what they spoke about as he would ask her to put a Silencing Charm around the room, but they would always leave with smiles on their faces and seeming to be more comfortable around each other and Hermione would smile at the sight. Teddy had taken an immediate shine to Embry, which left Paul feeling a little put out since his little shadow didn't follow him around as much as he used to; now he was focusing his attention on Embry but Hermione had explained that Teddy was trying to bring the pack together.

Despite Teddy being a young age, his father was a werewolf, his Godmother was a werewolf and his family were a pack of wolves. Teddy understood better than anyone the way of the pack, it was instinctual and natural for him and so he knew his role in the pack. Just like Hermione, he brought a sense of calm and peace to the pack, as well as love and hope. When Embry fully understood that his pack loved and cared for him, Teddy would no longer give all of his attention to Embry but for the time being, Sam and Jared had plenty of fun at winding up Paul over the matter.

During the week, one of the boys would stay home whilst the other two either went to the office or to a job site if they had a job scheduled. Hermione would walk down the beach with Embry and they would talk about anything Embry wished to, and it was in those times that Embry truly began to understand his bond with the pack and with Hermione. It was in those times that she would soothe his worries and fears of being a member of the pack and hurting someone. And it was in those times that Hermione would reveal more to him about her being a witch and the world she came from.

She told him everything about herself, from her childhood through to the Final Battle, and he had phased in anger when he learned what had happened to Teddy's parents and Fred. She told him everything, except her being a werewolf. She had wanted to tell him immediately so she could ease him into it before the next full moon, but the boys had disagreed, wanting to have a little fun with their new packmate. And now, it was the morning of the full moon, and Embry was in for an eventful day.

Hermione entered the kitchen, her hair piled on top of her head in a mess, bags were under her eyes and her skin looked sickly. The boys were already crowded around the breakfast bar, Sam making breakfast and Teddy sat on Embry's lap, and Paul's jealously was evident giving the childish scowl on his face and pout to his mouth.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Embry spoke, looking at her worriedly and with a frown marring his features.

She winced, bringing her hand up to her head and her eyes cut to his. He blinked in surprise when they flashed amber before returning to chocolate brown, as if it had never even happened.

"Do you have to talk so bloody loud?" She grumbled.

"I wasn't," his frown deepened.

"No, you were shouting, shut up!" A frightening growl tore from the back of her throat.

Embry sat ram-rod straight as his eyes widened and he stared at her in fear and surprise. The others sniggered until she glared at them and they quickly looked down at their coffee mugs to avoid her terrifying stare.

Her eyes screwed shut tightly. "It's too bright in here, someone close the blinds," she complained with a groan.

Without a word Jared got up from his seat and closed all of the blinds in the kitchen, her screwed up face relaxing slightly. Sam pressed a cup of tea into her hands, which she took without hesitation and sipped at the hot liquid, and then he put a plate with two slices of toast in front of her and she opened hers to see it lathered in chocolate spread.

The first smile of the morning graced her features and she reached up and placed a kiss to Sam's cheek before picking up the plate and as she walked out of the room, she placed a kiss to Teddy's head and disappeared from view.

"Well, that went better than last time," Paul commented.

"That's because we now know how to make this easier for her," Sam tipped his head in Jared's direction.

"The books in her library weren't much help at all, nor was anything I found online, they're all prejudiced and they don't have anything marginally helpful. Everything we do know came from Hermione herself or Harry and Snape," he shrugged in reply.

"We won't be seeing much of her today," Paul spoke. "She'll likely lock herself away in her lab, I don't know why she'd want to do that, I got a snout full the other day and it stinks in there. Her senses are in overdrive and it'll just irate her."

"She said it calms her," Sam shrugged, plating up the bacon and scrambled eggs and waiting for the toast to finish cooking. "And I know she's fallen behind on her work this last week. She's been spending a lot of time with the pack and she has a large order coming in next Friday, and she still hasn't completed the order for St. Helena's and that's due Wednesday."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Embry blurted out and they turned to him, looking amused. "Why did she growl at me? Why did her eyes change colour? Why is she so _terrifying_?"

"You've seen nothing yet, just you wait," Paul smirked.

~000~000~000~

"What are we doing here?" Embry asked, watching as Hermione and the man he had been introduced to as Snape, waved their wands and muttered under their breath.

No one answered him, instead, Sam took the bag Hermione carried and hung it up on a tree branch and Hermione stepped closer to them. She nodded to Snape and he disappeared with a 'crack.' Embry had gotten used to Hermione using magic and it wasn't as strange as it used to be though it still did amaze him.

"What the hell!" He shrieked, covering his eyes and turning around as Hermione began to strip off her clothes. The others just rolled their eyes.

"Honestly, Embry, you can turn around," she grumbled and he did slowly, seeing that she was barefoot but dressed in a pair of pyjama shorts and a spaghetti strap top, allowing him to see some of her scars.

He watched as she started pacing back and forth agitatedly and the others seemed to be slightly on edge but he got the feeling they knew what was to happen. What were they keeping from him? Why were Snape and Harry watching Teddy for the night?

"You'll see me naked more times than Sam would like," she said, and Sam growled in agreement. "Just as I will see all of you naked more times than I'd actually like to."

"How are you feeling?" Sam asked her softly.

"Irritable, energized and my skins itchy," she scratched at her skin as she said this.

"How much longer?" Jared asked.

"Not long, I can feel the changes beginning to stir within me."

"How much longer to what? What changes?" Embry asked, annoyed that he was being kept out of the loop.

"You'll see," Paul smirked and Embry sighed, leaning against a tree and watching as Hermione continued pacing and either chewing at her nails or scratching at her skin.

Fifteen minutes of silence later, Hermione groaned and rolled her neck and shoulders, stretching out her body before she sat on the ground.

"It's time," she said and Embry was confused when his three packmates stripped off their clothing without embarrassment in front of Hermione and then phased, surrounding her in a circle.

Sam shot him a look, the dark eyes of the Alpha wolf telling him to change. Embry, not wanting to disobey his Alpha, quickly stripped off his own clothing and phased, too, coming to fill the gap that'd been left for him.

 _'You're in for a treat,'_ Paul's voice flittered through the mind link, making Embry jump. Now the mind link was something he _definitely_ wasn't used to yet.

 _'Will someone please tell me why we're here?'_ He all but begged.

 _'Be careful,'_ Jared spoke, ignoring his question. _'When the change is over, she'll want to smell you. Let her do it. Don't panic and don't move too quickly, she won't hurt you.'_

 _'Why?'_ He asked, and again, no one answered him.

Hermione took a deep breath and it drew his attention. She looked up at the night sky and his eyes followed, seeing the full moon coming into view as the clouds parted.

He looked down at Hermione in confusion and suddenly a scream tore from her mouth and she fell onto her back. Paul, Jared and Sam had fallen to their stomachs, all letting out little whimpers but Sam was the most inconsolable.

And suddenly things fell into place.

Her aversion to light, sound and smell. Her grumpiness and growling. Her flashing amber eyes. Her irritableness and bad temper. Being out in the woods on a full moon. And watching in horror as she screamed in agony, as he heard her bones snapping and shifting, reforming, and fur and claws sprouted.

She was a...


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 5

**Saturday 14th January 2006**

_'Werewolf,'_ Embry whispered as the strange-looking wolf stood up on its hind legs and threw its head back, letting out a loud howl to the moon.

 _'Awesome, right?'_ He could hear the grin in Paul's voice and see it in his eyes.

The werewolf dropped down on all fours, taking a defensive position and she visibly sniffed at the air, her eyes darting between the four wolves, the last being Embry and her eyes narrowed and she let out a snarl that had fear rushing through him.

 _'Don't move!'_ Jared warned. _'In the back of her mind she knows you're pack, she won't hurt you. She just needs to familiarise herself with your scent.'_

Embry remained rooted to the spot as the werewolf slowly approached him and on instinct he looked down at the ground as the wolf stopped in front of him, snarling lowly.

 _'Slowly get down on your stomach and offer her your neck,'_ Sam instructed.

Embry's eyes shot to him before he did as was instructed, lowering himself onto his stomach and he tilted his head so his neck was bared.

He flinched when the wolf moved closer but much to his surprise, she merely sniffed at him and then her jaw clamped around his neck, biting down gently. It didn't hurt, in fact, he barely even felt it. She then moved away from him and spun around, her eyes connecting with the large black wolf.

The other wolves stood up and Embry followed, watching as the werewolf suddenly lunged for Sam. She barrelled into the side of him, making him stumble and lose his footing and then she rubbed herself against him; her snout rubbing against his side and up to his neck, nipping at Sam's nose gently.

She backed away from him and turned to Paul and Jared and he heard their amused comments coming through the mind link as the werewolf bowed its back, its bum in the air and tail swishing and its tongue lolling out of the side of its mouth comically. Embry blinked in shock as the werewolf suddenly pounced but Paul seemed to be expecting it and he stepped aside just in time, making the wolf bound into Jared, taking him down to the ground and they skidded across the floor.

Sam and Paul were laughing loudly through the mind link and he could see their wolf forms shaking, too. The werewolf growled and turned back to Paul, they circled each other and Embry was surprised when she ran and slid across the floor, straight under Paul's large frame and before he could turn around, she nipped at his tail playfully and Paul let out a yelp of surprise.

For the next hour, Embry watched in amusement as the werewolf continuously chased and play fought with Paul and Jared, and at one point, she had exhausted Paul and Jared to the point where they were a collapsed pile on the floor and she turned her attention to him. He'd been worried at first that she would hurt him, but after ten minutes, he was actually enjoying play fighting with her but he did come to understand that she was a lot stronger than she appeared and she was far more agile and faster than he was. If she wanted to, she could've easily killed him.

Half an hour later he collapsed on the floor in exhaustion and the werewolf made its way over to the large black wolf that was laid on the floor, watching the scene in amusement. She sidled up next to him, rubbing herself against him, nipping at his nose affectionately and then she curled up in a ball against Sam and fell asleep.

 _'Surprise!'_ Paul and Jared suddenly yelled down the mind link, making him visibly startle in surprise and they sniggered at him.

 _'I can't believe she's a werewolf,'_ he spoke.

 _'Neither could we at first,'_ Paul said. _'I think Sam was more shocked than we were.'_

Sam grumbled over the mind link and they sniggered again.

_'What happens now?'_

_'Paul and Jared are going to do a quick patrol of the land and then return here. She'll be asleep for a few hours now,'_ Sam spoke. _'She'll go through the change around dawn and we'll give her the potions to help her healing process. Snape will come and release the wards so Hermione can leave and then we'll go home. She'll be asleep most of the day and she'll be back to normal by Monday. And then, on the next full moon, we'll do it all again.'_

_'Why did we have to come with her?'_

_'To protect her from herself,'_ Jared answered, seeing as he was the werewolf 'expert' amongst them. He had taken to doing the research and he spoke to Harry, Snape and Hermione when he had the chance so he could learn more about lycanthropy in order to make things easier on Hermione.

_'Hermione's a member of the pack, and all werewolves crave a pack. If Hermione were to deal with the full moon alone as a werewolf, she would've been frustrated and angry and she would've turned to self-harm. She would've injured herself to deal with the pain of being a lone wolf. With us here, she has a pack and she wouldn't have the need to harm herself. In the morning she'll be exhausted and sore, but she won't have any self-induced injuries.'_

_'Lesson's over, Paul, Jared get on with patrols,'_ Sam interrupted and the two wolves nodded.

Paul phased back into his human form and he watched as the sleeping werewolf never so much as twitched in her sleep. He pulled out the blanket from the bag that hung on the tree branch and he slowly approached the sleeping werewolf and covered her with the blanket before phasing back and he and Jared left the area to start with patrols.

~000~000~000~

The morning came and Embry was startled out of his peaceful sleep by a sudden scream. He jumped to his feet and his eyes scanned the area, landing on Hermione who had moved away from Sam and was now in the middle of her change from wolf to human.

She clutched the blanket around her and as the fur disappeared and her claws retracted, she slumped against the floor, tears streaming down her face and once again human.

Sam was by her side instantly, his body pressed against hers and his fur would give her some warmth and protection from the cold winter morning. Her arms wrapped around him and she snuggled further into him as her cries died down. He blinked when Jared and Paul appeared out of nowhere, Jared heading over to Hermione, pressing his body against her other side to give her more warmth and Paul phased back, pulled on his jeans and then he grabbed the bag and rushed to Hermione.

He removed a black robe from the bag and Hermione was manoeuvred until the robe was fastened closed around her body and the blanket covered her. He pulled out three potion vials and poured them down her throat in what seemed to be a practised motion and she fell unconscious barely moments after.

Embry focused his attention on phasing back but he still found it hard, the rest of the pack could do it instantly but he knew they had been doing it a lot longer than him.

He heard a 'crack' and ten minutes later Snape appeared.

"I'll take her and apparate us back to the house, if you run you'll make it in less than ten minutes. She'll need you for the healing process," he spoke.

He kneeled down and after a few growls of warning from Sam, he let Snape take Hermione and they disappeared from view. Paul changed back to his wolf form and the four wolves ran home and since it was still early, they didn't have to worry about anyone potentially seeing them. Paul, Jared and Sam changed back immediately before entering the house but Embry was still having difficulty. Sam made his way straight upstairs as Snape appeared in the kitchen where Harry was cooking breakfast and Paul and Jared took seats at the breakfast bar, chatting comfortably with Harry, as Snape ignored them and read the paper.

"Still having trouble, Mate?" He blinked in surprise and turned to see Harry looking at him with a raised eyebrow. The large wolf nodded his head.

"Just remember what we told you," Paul shrugged, and he gestured to the rug in front of the fireplace.

"I'll bring you some food over," Harry said.

Embry nodded in thanks and made his way to the fireplace, startling when it suddenly roared to life and he turned his head to see Harry putting his wand away.

"You may not feel the cold, but we regular humans do."

"You're a wizard, you're not exactly regular," Jared pointed out amused.

"And yet I still feel the cold," he argued.

They rolled their eyes at him and Embry laid down on his stomach, watching the flickering flames.

~000~000~000~

**Sunday 15th January 2006**

Embry was woken by the sound of light footfalls entering the kitchen and the kettle boiling. He opened his eyes and turned his head to see Hermione digging through the cupboards, pulling out the biscuit tin and her favourite mug.

She turned her head, feeling his stare on her and she caught his gaze. She smiled at him softly and then left the kitchen to walk over to him. To him it was obvious that the t-shirt she wore wasn't hers, it buried her tiny frame but he was relieved to see that she looked fine, if only tired.

She sat down beside him on the rug in front of the flames that were beginning to die down and her hands ran through the fur on his head softly. He lifted his head and rested it on her legs and huffed out a sighed.

"Have you been like this all day?" She asked. He huffed out a breath. "Why haven't you changed back?" He lifted his eyes to look up at her and she must've known what he was trying to convey. "Oh, Embry," she said gently. "There is no need for you to worry about me, I'm a big witch and I've been dealing with this for a while now. Things are better than before, now I have a pack and I heal a lot quicker now that I have Sam. I'm not only his imprint, he's my werewolf mate, too. We're not only bound by our love for each other and the pack, but we're bound by magic, too. I understand that it was difficult for you to see and I can't guarantee that you'll get used to it, but I need you to know that once I've changed into my wolf form, I am completely fine. It takes me a day to heal afterwards and then I'm completely fine until the next full moon when the process repeats itself."

He looked up at her again, his dark eyes questioning.

"It happened after the Final Battle, I was in the Forbidden Forest when I was attacked by two fully transformed werewolves, the centaurs found me and protected me until someone came to look for me, I've been a werewolf since. It's not all bad, I'm forced to transform at the full moon and yes, it is agonizingly painful but I have better senses, I have better reflexes and I heal quicker. If anyone in my world were to discover that I am a werewolf, they would turn against me and they would try to take Teddy from me; that's why it must be kept a secret. I wanted to tell you from the start and ease you into it, but the boys weren't in agreement. Not only did they want to have a little fun with you, they wanted to see how you would react. It was the final test of becoming a pack member, and you passed," she said softly. "Now that we've gotten all of that out in the open, let's get you back to your human form, if Teddy sees you like this, he'll be wanting piggyback rides."

Embry's form shook and he made wheezing sounds in his laughter, knowing what she said was completely true.

Hermione worked with him, helping him to clear his mind and before he knew it, he was human again and completely naked. She rolled her eyes and summoned a blanket which he wrapped himself in.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked her.

She smiled. "I'm fine," she promised. "On the day of the next full moon, just follow the boys' lead and you'll have less of a chance of me snapping at you."

"Yeah, you were terrifying."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I can feel the pull of the moon from the moment I wake up and it sets every part of my magic and body on edge. I can't concentrate, my senses are working in overdrive and I'm rather moody. Just give me chocolate and it'll calm me down a little." He laughed at her. "Come on then. Let's have a cup of tea, I'll break out my special biscuits as long as you don't tell the others; Paul might cry."

He sniggered at her and she smiled, knowing that everything would be fine.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Monday 16th January 2006**

“Hermione, what’re you doing here?”

She turned around and amongst the students mulling around the school grounds, Jacob stood looking surprised to see her.

She smiled at him. “Good morning, Jacob, I was just running a few errands, and one of them required me to be here, I was just leaving.”

He moved closer to her, Quil hovering behind him and he frowned when he saw the file in her hand, the file that had Embry’s name on.

“What’s that?” He asked, looking down at the file.

“Oh, I was just collecting some work for Embry, he’s been under the weather lately and we’re not quite sure when he’ll return to school.”

“How d’you know that? I’ve been trying to contact him for over a week and there’s been no answer at his house.” He eyed her strangely.

“Yes, his mother has recently taken up a post in L.A and she’ll be gone for the next six months. Not wanting to take Embry away from his school and friends for a temporary position, she had made me his legal guardian until she returns. Unfortunately, he’s been ill and hasn’t been able to attend school. The reception around my house is terrible, I’m afraid.” Before he could question her further, she spoke. “I best be getting this work back to Embry, we don’t want him falling behind, now do we?” She smiled and then quickly left the school’s grounds.

~000~000~000~

“A little warning, next time,” Embry startled, almost spilling his orange juice all over himself, when the ‘crack’ of her landing in the kitchen sounded and she shrugged in reply.

“I have your school work for you,” she told him, handing it over to him and taking the tea Sam offered her with a smile. “Has Jacob called you?”

“Yes, I haven’t answered since I don’t know what to say to him. Why?”

“I ran into him on my way out of the school, he’s suspicious.”

“Of course, he is,” Embry spoke, not sounding the least bit surprised. He sighed. “What should I do?”

She shared a look with Sam and he nodded. “You can call him, just stick to the cover story,” the Alpha said.

Embry nodded. “I’ll do it later, right now I want to know what the plan for the day is.”

Sam and Hermione shared an amused look whilst Paul and Jared hid their smirks behind their coffee mugs. For days now, Embry had been pestering Sam to allow him to go to the office with them so he could see the property and just what it was he and the pack did on their workdays.

“Sam, Jared and Paul are going to work with Teddy as they only have meetings booked in for today and they can get some prep-work done for their job on Wednesday. I’m going to finish the last of my potions and get the order sent off and you, my dear wolf, are going to do your schoolwork since I went out of my way to travel to your school and get it for you,” she smiled sweetly and he scowled at her.

“You teleported, you were no more than fifteen minutes. It would’ve taken longer to drive there than it did for you to get there and back.”

“First of all, I _apparated_ there, and secondly, you may now be a member of the pack with responsibilities that are far more troubling than you deserve, but you are also a sixteen-year-old and hell will freeze over before I allow your education to suffer.” He blinked slowly whilst his packmates sniggered.

He scowled at them before turning his attention back to Hermione, a childish pout taking up home on his face.

“Please, Hermione, let me go to the office,” he begged.

She looked at him blankly. “That only works on me with Paul and Teddy,” she told him.

Jared and Sam chuckled as Embry scowled and Paul muttered, “I don’t pout,” whilst doing just that.

“Schoolwork, go do it, now,” Hermione instructed, narrowing her eyes.

“Fine,” he grumbled, standing up and leaving the room but not before stealing Paul’s plate and dashing out of the room.

“Hey!” Paul yelled in outrage, chasing Embry through the house, heavy footfalls were heard on the stairs, as was a door slamming and Paul shouting in anger as he banged on Embry’s bedroom door.

“I love my life,” Hermione said with a smile.

Sam’s arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her against him and he placed a kiss to her forehead as she snuggled into him.

“You’re happy?” He asked quietly.

“I’m so very happy,” she told him softly, smiling at the sight of Jared exaggerating his awe at what Teddy was very intently babbling about, and listening to the sounds of Paul and Embry arguing over who got the last of the bacon.

“And it’s all because I met you.”

~000~000~000~

**Saturday 21st January 2006**

“Jacob, what are you doing here?” Hermione blinked, seeing that Jacob was stood on the other side of her door.

“You said that if we ever wanted to stop by we could,” he replied, shuffling on his feet nervously.

She stepped out of the house onto the porch and she shut the door behind her. He frowned at the action.

“I did, and I meant it, but you and I both know that’s not why you’re here,” she told him, wrapping her cardigan around herself more tightly to defend against the cold of the freezing mid-January weather.

“I’m here to see Embry,” he said. “He said I could visit.”

She sighed. “You may visit with him but not just yet.”

“Why not?”

“He’s still sleeping,” she lied.

“It’s two in the afternoon,” he eyed her strangely.

She smiled at him sadly. “Yes, and he’s still not very well, the illness is taking a lot out of him. He’s quite contagious at the moment and I wouldn’t want you to contract the illness, it’s not pleasant.”

“He said he was getting better,” he frowned.

“He is, he’s getting much better, it shouldn’t be much longer now and he’ll be back at school,” she said truthfully, because Embry’s control over his phasing had improved immensely over the last week. 

It seemed that after seeing Hermione’s transformation at the full moon, it put things into perspective for him and he was able to find a way to ground himself, to keep himself from phasing. It didn’t take him as long to phase back either and before long he would be doing it as effortlessly as the rest of the pack.

“But we can’t risk it, I’m sorry,” she told him, and she did mean it, she was sorry that Embry had been taken away from his friends but it couldn’t be controlled. And to be honest, if Embry had the choice, she was confident that he would choose becoming a wolf because that gave him a pack and a family.

“Come back next Saturday, hopefully, Embry will be up for visitors by then, you can join us for dinner,” she gave him that friendly smile, that for some reason, calmed him.

“Us?” He questioned.

“Us,” she nodded. “Myself, Embry, Sam, Jared, Paul and Teddy.”

She saw his eyes dart to the door and he shifted once more, The difference between Hermione and the pack was that although the wolves’ senses were stronger than hers, even if hers were enhanced due to her lycanthropy, Hermione was able to pick up the changes in a persons’ pheromones, if she were stood close enough that is, and from Jacob she was picking up worry, distrust and fear.

“Why would they be here?” He muttered.

She frowned. “They live here.”

“What?” He blurted out, his eyes wide and mouth ajar.

“They live here,” she repeated.

“But, why?” He spluttered.

“Sam’s my boyfriend and Paul and Jared are my friends, more like my little brothers actually. They moved in not long before Christmas.”

“But you said Embry lives here now.”

“He does, what has that got to do with anything?” She asked him, her eyebrow arching and he took a step back. She sighed. “Look, Jacob, appearances can be deceiving and anything that you may have heard about my boys is more than likely to be a lie. Don’t believe everything you hear. I best go and check on Embry, if you want to visit and join us for dinner then my offer still stands. I’ll hopefully see you next week.” She stepped into the house and closed the door behind her. “That was a close one,” she muttered, peeking out of the window to see that Jacob was walking down the beach.

She sighed, before summoning the shopping bags and she apparated straight to the office.

~000~000~000~

“Will you stop doing that?” Embry jumped, effectively spilling his drink over his lap and scowling at her. Teddy giggled and clapped his hand whilst the others chuckled at him.

“You get used to it,” Sam commented, shifting Teddy on his lap so he could pass over a cloth so Embry could wipe up the droplets of cola that had splashed on the floor.

“You should be used to it by now, it’s not my fault you’re jumpy,” Hermione shrugged, walking over to the fridge, flicking her wand as she walked past Embry and drying his clothing for him.

“You’ve been shopping?” Jared asked hopefully.

“I have, seeing as you’ve eaten through all the food supplies I only purchased on Wednesday,” she said amused as she proceeded to put away the shopping in the fridge, freezer and the cupboards.

“I also made lunch,” she told them, flicking her wand and the steaming shepherd’s pie appeared in front of everyone on the table after summoning it from the house.

“Thank God, I’m starving,” Paul muttered.

“You’ve only been here for four hours,” she raised her eyebrow at him.

“That’s four hours without food, Hermione!” His voice rose.

“Oh, give me strength,” she sighed with a roll of her eyes and they laughed. She took her seat at the table after finishing packing everything away. “How was your meeting?”

“It went well,” Sam answered. “Teddy kept the others in line,” he smiled down at the child on his lap whilst the three wolves scowled in his direction.

“That’s my Teddy,” Hermione said proudly, reaching over to tickle his stomach and he giggled. “So, you’ve got the contract?”

“I’m not sure yet, Daniels said he’d contact us within an hour of him leaving as he wished to think it over further in private,” he shrugged.

“He’d be stupid not to give you the job,” Hermione replied. “He isn’t going to find someone as hardworking as my boys.” They all smiled at her, and then she changed the subject. “Jacob came by the house.”

“What? When?” Embry frowned.

“Just before I got here. He said you told him he could visit.”

Everyone looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, yeah, I did say that, but I told him it wouldn’t be for a while yet as I was still contagious.”

“Have you been in touch with him since Monday?”

“We’ve been texting, I’ve made sure to purposely never answer his calls, he’s always been able to tell when I lie, so it’s best not to risk it.”

“So he just assumed a while meant the weekend?” Jared asked disbelievingly.

“Obviously, I didn’t give him a specific date,” Embry replied.

“Well he’s got one now,” Hermione piped up.

“Excuse me?” Sam said, looking both surprised and amused by the looks on the others’ faces at her words.

“I’ve invited him over for dinner next Saturday, and everyone has to be there.”

“But...”

“I said _everyone_ , Paul,” she chastised and Teddy laughed at Paul’s pout.

“This will at least give me time to put my charms back on the living room and library so nothing is out of the ordinary. And this visitation might alleviate some of Jacob’s worry about Embry’s health.”

“It’s alright with me,” Sam shrugged.

Jared snorted. “You just want to see if he’s going through the change.”

Sam didn’t bother denying it.

“It’s possible,” Hermione injected, biting her lip.

“It is?” The wolves spoke together, their eyes snapping to her.

“It is, I think he was taller than when I last saw him,” she frowned, trying to think back to that day at the school and when she’d just seen him. “Yes, he was definitely taller,” she nodded decisively.

“He’s a growing teenage boy,” Paul shrugged dismissively.

“What? He’s grown six inches in less than a week, because he’s a growing teenage boy?” She challenged.

“I see your point,” he nodded, a frown of his own creeping on to his face.

“Any other changes you noticed?” Sam asked.

“He’s starting to fill out, and now that I’m thinking about it, I could’ve sworn I saw two packed lunches, one in his hand, the other in his opened backpack.”

They all shared knowing looks.

“This is just great,” Paul groaned. “We’ve barely got Pup out of training pants and now we’re getting another one.”

The cloth Embry had used to wipe the floor went flying across the table until it smacked Paul in the face. He blinked in surprise and everyone else burst out laughing, Teddy in particular thought it was hilarious.

The ringing of the phone from the reception desk quietened everyone down and they all looked at each other before chairs were falling towards the ground and everyone was racing out of the kitchen and down the corridor.

Despite them all being faster than Hermione, she beat them to the reception desk by a couple of seconds, and she hadn’t even used magic, much to their amusement.

“Good afternoon, thank you for calling Uley and Pack, this is Hermione speaking, how may I help you?” She answered the phone, sitting herself down in the comfortable chair behind the desk. “Of course, Mr. Daniels, I’ll transfer you right through, one moment please,” she covered the speaker with her hand and looked at Sam. “Line 2,” she told him, and he handed Teddy over to Jared and quickly made his way to his office as Hermione put the phone down.

She strained her hearing but seeing as it wasn’t as advanced as the boys’, she was finding it difficult to accurately hear the conversation. The others, however, could hear perfectly and they were remaining remarkably stoic, much to her annoyance. She couldn’t even tell how the conversation was going based on their facial expressions and they smirked at her in response. They’d even corrupted Embry.

For the next ten minutes she sat in her chair, her leg bouncing nervously whilst she alternated between tugging at her hair, drumming her fingers against the desk and reorganising the spotless work area. She heard footsteps approaching and when Sam entered through the doorway, she leapt up from her seat, a hopeful look on her face and her fingers crossed. Sam had a frown on his face which only increased her levels of anxiety.

“Well?” He tore his eyes from the ground and looked at her. “Oh, Merlin’s Sake, Samuel, spit it out, did we get it!?” She snapped, not being able to take the tension in the room any longer.

Grins broke out on the boys’ faces and a beaming smile appeared on Sam’s.

“We got it.”

“We got it?” She asked excitedly.

“We got it,” He repeated.

“We got it!” She called in disbelief.

“We got it!” He laughed loudly.

“We got it!” She squealed and she leapt towards him, pulling him into a tight hug as cheers from the boys rang out in the room. Happy tears began leaking from her eyes as he hugged her back. “I can’t believe we got,” she sniffled.

“What did we get again?” Embry asked confused, scratching the side of his head with everyone turning to face him with identical looks of disbelief on their faces.

He grinned sheepishly. “I was distracted when you explained it to me.”

“By what?” Jared asked.

“Food, I was hungry,” he shrugged. They laughed and rolled their eyes at him.

“Well, Pup,” Paul began, slinging an arm around Embry’s shoulders. “We’ve only gone and gotten ourselves a three month contract with Peter Daniels.”

“Peter Daniels,” Embry frowned in thought. “Isn’t he a property developer? The rich one from New York?”

“Yeah, and it just so happens he’s taking on a few projects in Port Angeles, he’s had meetings with five other contractors and he came across our advertising and followed it through to our website. We have a three month trial period, and if he’s impressed by us, that leads to a one year contract in Port Angeles and he may even ask us to work on other projects around the country afterwards,” Jared explained.

Embry blinked in surprise. “We got it!” He yelled suddenly, making everyone laugh.

“Did he say why he chose us?” Hermione asked, as the boys took Teddy back to the kitchen to finish their food and she and Sam stayed in the reception area to chat.

He smiled down at her before wrapping his around her and pulling her against him. “Aside from the reviews on our website from previous clients, as well as seeing the portfolios of our work, he chose us because of you.”

“He what?” Her eyes widened and his smile softened. “He’s never even met me.”

“No, but when he came for the meeting he saw all of the hard work, thought and love you put into this building. And after seeing photos of you dotted about the place, including the one on my desk in my office with both you and Teddy, he asked me about you.”

“And?”

“And, he told me that behind every good man there’s a brilliant woman, and I agree with him. Without you, none of this would be possible.”

“Sammy, anything is possible.”

“Now that I’ve got you and Teddy, _everything_ is possible,” he amended softly and she felt tears springing to her eyes. “He wants to meet you.”

“Who, Daniels?” She frowned.

“Yeah, he’s on his way now.”

“What!” She shrieked, pulling back from him. “Merlin, look at the state of me, and my hair! I’ve been in my lab most of the morning, it probably looks like a cloud and I spilt some Skele-Gro on me, I’ll have to change. Oh, there’s no time to go home and change and...”

“Hermione,” he interrupted with a chuckle, “You’re a witch,” he reminded her.

She was gone from his arms within the blink of an eye, leaving behind a ‘crack’ and Sam’s loud laughter.

~000~000~000~

“We should celebrate,” Hermione said as she climbed out of Sam’s truck and he unbuckled Teddy from his car seat.

“Great idea,” Jared agreed, climbing out of his car along with Paul and Embry. “We should have some fire whiskey,” he suggested.

“I don’t think Pup could handle it, even with our metabolism, he’ll be throwing up after a sip,” Paul smirked.

“As I recall, you were the one that looked a little sickly last week, and after only _two_ glasses,” Hermione chirped. Sam, Embry and Jared laughed loudly whilst Paul grumbled under his breath.

“So much for being ill!”

The laughter stopped immediately and they spun around on the spot, Jacob Black coming into their view.

“Jake, what ar...” Embry started, but he was cut him off.

“What the fuck happened to you? They’ve turned you into one of them? Are you on drugs, too?”

“Jacob,” Sam warned, his voice deepening and his eyes locked on Embry as his fists clenched by his sides and he began to shake.

Sam handed Teddy over to Hermione and pushed her behind him, should Embry phase, he might accidentally hurt them with them being so close to him. 

“Do you go around robbing old ladies and stealing cars, too?”

What happened next, Hermione couldn’t have stopped even if she tried.

The clothes ripped from Embry’s body.

He shifted into the grey large wolf.

Right in front of Jacob.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 7

**Saturday 21st January 2006**

“Shit!” Paul cursed, preparing to phase himself should he be required to.

Jacob made a strangled noise of surprise and fear and he stumbled backwards until he tripped over his own feet and he fell to the ground. He didn’t make a sound at the pain it must’ve caused but he continued to shuffle back on his hands and even Hermione could hear his heart beating erratically and she could smell the fear radiating off him.

She had to fix this, and as her eyes darted between Embry and the pack surrounding him, trying to get him to calm down, and the fearful Jacob, she had an idea.

She slowly approached Jacob, who had his wide eyes on the very large wolf not too far away from him, and she stepped in front of him, blocking his view and locking her eyes on his.

“Jacob, I think we need to talk,” she said softly. “There’s things that have been kept from you for not only your safety but for the safety of the Tribe, too.”

He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Hermione put Teddy down and he turned and ran straight to Embry, wrapping himself around his large leg of the wolf and giggling in delight. Hermione smiled at the sight and she watched as the wolf calmed before carefully lowering himself onto the ground onto his stomach and Teddy did his best to climb onto Embry’s back but failed. Sam chuckled before lifting him onto Embry’s back and Teddy laughed in joy, making them all smile.

All eyes then turned to her.

“I’ve got an idea,” she told them and then she looked at Embry, seeing the guilt in his eyes. “It’s okay, Embry, you had a little mishap but your progress has been remarkable, don’t let this little slip make you doubt yourself. It was an accident and you felt as though your pack was being threatened, you acted upon your basic instincts to protect your pack. This is not your fault, so don’t feel as though it is and don’t feel guilty, either. I don’t blame you and neither do the boys.”

Embry’s eyes looked upwards.

“Hermione’s right, you only acted upon your instincts,” Sam said.

“To be fair, if it hadn’t have been you, it would’ve been me,” Paul shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets, looking the perfect picture of ease. 

“What the hell’s going on here!” Jacob found his voice and shuffled back a little more.

“Oh, sorry,” Hermione said, turning her attention back to him.

“You’ve got a plan?” Sam asked.

“I do,” she nodded.

“Floor’s all yours,” he said, crossing his arms and watching to see what she was up to as she approached Jacob and knelt down in front of him.

“Boys, would you mind giving us a few minutes alone?”

They all shrugged before walking off down the beach with Embry being very careful as he stood and Teddy remained on his back, the others close by should he decide to dive off headfirst, something he had a habit of doing. The little child was fearless. 

“As I said, Jacob, things have been kept from you for not only your safety but the safety of the Tribe, too. Will you allow me to explain without any judgement?” He nodded dumbly. “What do you know of the legends of your Tribe?”

“More than most since my dad’s been telling me of them since before I could walk. He’s been particularly vocal about the legends of the Cold Ones.”

“What if I were to tell you the legends are true and that vampires do exist?”

“Then I’d say you’re crazy.”

“In the legends, what accompanies yhe Cold Ones?”

He frowned. “The shape-shifting wolves that destroyed them and protected our land,” he answered.

“Jacob, what have you just witnessed?”

“My best friend turning into a huge fucking wolf.”

She chuckled at him, allowing that curse to slide for the time being. “The legends _are_ true,” she said softly. “Vampires exist and as you just saw, so do the shape-shifting protectors of the Tribe. It just so happens, Embry is one of the wolves.”

“One of them?” He questioned, slowly sitting up straight and she shuffled to sit down beside him, knowing that the only reason he was listening to her was the fact he was going through the change and he was already beginning to feel the bond between them forming.

“One of them,” she nodded. “There’s a pack. There hasn’t been a wolf for the last few generations as there haven’t been any vampires nearby, which is what initiates the shifting gene within the blood. Sam was the first to change, and I believe it was because the Cullens returned to Forks, and yes, they’re the vampires that have the treaty with the Tribe.”

“Sam’s a wolf, too?”

“Yes, he is, he’s the Alpha of the pack and it’s the reason he broke up with Leah. I’ll explain a little more about that later. For now, Jared was the next to shift and that was followed by Paul. For a long time, they were the only wolves protecting the land until Embry shifted.”

“It’s why he hasn’t been at school, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. Embry went through the transition and once he shifted, it was dangerous for him to be around others and so he’s being kept away from the public whilst the boys teach him to control his shifting. As you just witnessed, he still hasn’t quite got a handle on it yet but he’s getting there and once he does, he’ll return to school but he’ll always have to be in control of himself, if not he’ll phase and he may accidentally hurt someone as well reveal the secret of the pack.”

“If it’s a secret, why do you know?”

“We’ll get to that in a moment,” she promised. “Your father knows of the pack, as does Harry Clearwater and Quil Ateara lll.” His eyes widened. “They help to guide the pack and offer advice when they can. Embry’s mother doesn’t know of what’s happened to him and it’s why your father helped to convince her to take the job in L.A and leave Embry under my care. I’m sure you’ve noticed the boys’ appearances and you believe it to be from steroids, but it isn’t. The transition into becoming a shape-shifter is a strange one, and once it’s complete, you are at your physical peak. You will have advanced speed, strength and senses, as well as accelerated healing and decelerated ageing, so you’re on equal playing fields when it comes to destroying vampires that come to the Tribe’s land.”

“What does the transition period involve?”

She smiled at him knowingly. “From what I’ve been told, growth spurts, putting on muscle, fevers, exhaustion, sudden bursts of energy and an increase in appetite. You would not believe the food the boys now eat as they need the energy stores to phase. I have to do a food shop three times a week because they eat everything in my house,” she chuckled. “So, to summarise everything, the boys are a pack of shape-shifting giant wolves that protect the Tribe’s land and residents from vampires, and Embry is the newest member.”

“How do you know if you’re going to be a wolf, too?” He asked her.

“You don’t but it’s genetic. There are three specific bloodlines in which the gene is carried, and they are the Atearas, the Uleys and the Blacks.” His eyes widened. “Sam is from the Uley line, as is Paul and Jared is from the Black line.”

“And Embry?”

“It’s a little more complicated. Since Embry’s mother moved here when she was pregnant with him, it caused some worry as only a member of these three bloodlines can carry the gene. We’ve determined that Embry is from the Uley line and he is the half-brother of Sam, they share a father.” Jacob’s eyes widened further. “Now, I’m going to tell you something and I’m not quite sure how you’re going to react.”

“What?”

“You’re going through the transition, Jacob, you’re going to be a wolf, too,” she said softly.

He shook his head furiously. “No, I don’t want to be one. I don’t want to deal with vampires; I just want a normal life.”

She smiled sadly. “The life you are to lead will be the norm for you and the pack will help with your transition and they’ll teach you to control your phasing and abilities. And I will be here for you, too.”

“What do you have to do with this?”

“That’s a long and complicated story, but the short version is that I’m a witch.” He spluttered. “A witch that can perform magic and spells, and make potions and fly a broom, which I refuse to do as I hate flying. I was born a witch and there are thousands of us hidden around the world and we have to remain secret due to the disaster of the Witch Trials, centuries ago, but we have our own towns and cities hidden away from non-magicals. There was a war in which I was forced to participate in and after seven years, we won and the bad guys lost. My fiancé, Fred, was murdered by a vampire,” she spat, her eyes flashing amber before she controlled herself. “And so were Teddy’s parents. I moved here, where I met Sam and the boys. I knew the pack existed before I arrived here due to the records at my magical government which documents all magical beings and creatures in the world.”

“Your pack is able to do something called imprinting and it’s rare. It’s basically finding your soul mate in which the imprint is your perfect match and she is everything to you. You exist solely to protect her and make her happy in whatever form she needs or wants. I am Sam’s imprint, and for that reason, he is not only my boyfriend but he’s a father figure to Teddy, because it’s what Teddy needs, and he’s never once complained that I come with baggage and a child because he loves me and in his eyes, I’m perfect and I could never do any wrong. I need him and so he is what I need him to be. As for Leah, they broke up because of his shifting and he didn’t trust himself to be around her since he was still learning how to control his phasing and abilities and he was alone in the situation. He didn’t want to hurt her by accident. And then he met me and Leah no longer factors into his thoughts as much as she used to.”

“I have a headache,” he muttered.

She chuckled at him before pulling her wand and summoning a Pain Relief Potion and Jacob stared when it flew out of the open window of the house and into her hand.

“Drink this, it’s basically magical pain relief and it’s very effective, but it does taste disgusting,” she warned.

He cautiously took it from her before removing the cork and sniffing at the liquid, downing it one go and gagging, but much to his surprise, his headache faded almost immediately.

“What do you do? I remember at the bonfire you were secretive about it.”

“I’m a Potion’s Mistress, which is a highly valued field of work in the Wizarding World, and it pays quite a bit, too. It’s not an easy field to get into though, I had to spend a year studying as well as completing my school education since I didn’t have the chance to graduate due to the war, and I also had to complete a double Masters at the same time.”

“Genius,” he muttered and she laughed.

“Paul says the same thing all the time. Now, I know you’re wary of my boys but you don’t have to be. Pretty soon they’re going to be your packmates and you’ll love them as brothers, I promise you. Once you’ve phased for the first time, you’ll be drawn here, this is the home of your pack and it’s where I am. Sam is the Alpha of the pack but I’m the Alpha Female. My magic has bound the pack to me, so we share a connection; it’s why you’re so calm right now,” she said and he frowned at her in confusion. “My presence is what will calm you. The pack is my family and I’ll protect it with my life, and believe me when I say I’m more than capable of defending the pack. I haven’t told you everything yet but I will after you’ve phased. My original point is that once you’ve phased, it’ll come as a surprise to you, it can happen at any given moment and it will be triggered by something, likely anger. Once that happens, just try to remain calm and your instincts will bring you straight to me. It’s likely the boys will be at work and I’ll be here. I’ll do what I can to help you phase back and if not, the boys will help you.”

“Why are you telling me all this now?”

“Because you aren’t going to remember anything I’ve told you until I remove the memory block.”

“The what?”

“ _Obliviate_ ,” she whispered.

She placed their conversation inside a locked box at the back of his mind before pulling back and she altered his memory so that he wouldn’t remember returning to the house, before she knocked him out, grabbed his wrist and then apparated him to his home.

~000~000~000~

“Billy,” she called, levitating Jacob behind her and towards the house of which the door opened.

“What happened?” He asked, frowning as he moved to the side to allow Hermione through the door and she lowered Jacob down on to the couch.

“He turned up at my house and saw that Embry wasn’t ill, he said some things he shouldn’t have and Embry phased in front of him.” His eyes widened in surprise, concern and horror. “Don’t worry, no one was hurt. I’ve explained everything to Jacob about the pack and myself, and he wasn’t too pleased to discover that he’s going through the transition, but I hopefully soothed his worries. But until he does shift, I’ve put a memory block on his mind. He won’t remember anything that happened and once he’s shifted, I’ll remove it, it saves the time of having to explain ourselves later, at least for now he’s still in the dark about everything and he has a few more weeks to be a normal teenager.”

“Weeks?”

“Weeks, he’ll shift soon, Billy, so be careful with what you say to him, we don’t want to risk setting off his anger.”

“Thank you for looking out for him.”

She smiled at him. “That’s my job,” she told him. “I’m the mother of the pack.” He chuckled at her as she spun on her heel and returned home.

~000~000~000~

She landed outside the house (not wanting to hear Embry’s crying about her deliberately startling him) and she stepped inside, seeing everyone gathered on the couches and Embry was still in his wolf form, laid on the ground with Teddy trying to use him as a climbing frame.

“Does he know everything?” Jared asked as Hermione went straight over to Embry and sat down beside him. He rested his head in her lap and she ran her hands through his fur.

“I gave him a watered-down version of the transition, of the pack and the bond and of my being a witch, and I also told him that he was going through the transition, too.”

“How’d he take it?” Sam asked.

“If I hadn’t been present, he wouldn’t have been so calm about it, but even still he wasn’t pleased with the knowledge he was going through the process of becoming a wolf, and so I didn’t tell him he was the rightful Alpha of the pack. I’ve put a mind block on the conversation so he doesn’t remember anything that happened this evening, and once he shifts, I’ll remove it and he’ll remember everything. This way we won’t have to explain everything to him again at a later date, and we can focus on helping him to control his abilities.”

“Well that’s handy,” Paul sat back, looking more at ease with the knowledge that their secret was still safe.

“If the pack continues to grow in size, we should make a booklet filled with everything they need to know, it’s exhausting having to repeat everything all the time,” she sighed. They chuckled at her. “Anyway, as far as Jacob’s aware, Embry’s still sick and he’ll be coming by for dinner next Saturday, so I want everyone on their best behaviour. Billy’s going to keep an eye on him and I’ve told him to be careful with potential triggers since he’s so close to finishing the transition period.”

“How long do you think?” Sam asked curiously.

“A few weeks at most, unless something triggers it earlier,” she shrugged. “I can’t be certain. He’ll be drawn to me as Embry was so he’ll likely come straight here, and I’ll stay with him and do my best to help him change back if you’re at work.”

“Great,” Paul muttered, flopping his head back, “Now we’ve got _two_ pups in training pants.”

Embry growled at him and Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Embry’s doing amazingly with his phasing and I bet he’s mastered it by the time Jacob phases.”

Paul sat up instantly, a smirk on his face whilst Jared and Sam shared an amused look at what was about to play out.

“What are the stakes?” He asked.

Hermione looked thoughtful, nibbling her lip. “If Embry hasn’t mastered phasing by the time Jacob joins the pack, then I’ll be your personal chef for the next month. I’ll cook anything and everything you ask me to no matter the time, _and_ , you get out of chores.”

“Alright...”

“But, if he _does_ master it, then you have to do everything I say for an entire week, and I mean _everything_.”

Fear flickered across his face and Sam and Jared sniggered as Embry huffed out a rumbled growl; they all knew of the things Hermione was capable of, as well as how frightening she could be.

“Deal?” He looked apprehensive. “Are you scared, Paul?” She teased.

“No, deal,” he said quickly and she smirked in victory.

She looked down at Embry. “Don’t let me down, I’m counting on you now, and if I have to make nothing but cake and cookies for the next month, I’m going to lose my mind.”

A look of concentration entered his eyes before he moved away from her and Teddy, and where the wolf once was, now stood Embry. He pulled on the jeans Jared threw at him and he no longer appeared embarrassed at his nudity.

“Relax, Hermione, we’ve got this,” he grinned. She grinned back at him, Paul glared and them both and the others chuckled.

The next few weeks were going to be interesting, that was for sure, as they all knew Paul was going to do his best to win the bet, in which he would do everything he could to derail Embry’s progress.

It was going to be interesting, indeed.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Tuesday 14th February 2006**

“Don’t look,” Sam warned, guiding Hermione forward as she had a blindfold covering her eyes.

“Even if I wanted to, I can’t see, Sammy,” she replied and he chuckled at her.

“Watch your step,” he said. “And... You can look.”

He stepped back from her as she pulled off her blindfold and her eyes took in the sight before her. The night’s sky was above her and she could see every star clearly, the roaring fire that was surrounded by rocks warmed her skin, the cool breeze of the night tussled her hair and brushed against her, she could hear the waves crashing against the cliff face and the smell of salt and dirt filled her nose. She spied the blankets and cushions set up close to the fire and the basket that was spilling with food.

She turned around to look at Sam and he was smiling at her.

“I know you don’t like Valentine’s Day, but I at least thought we could have some time together without the pack surrounding us. It’s just you and me and the stars. And I may have brought a book or two.”

She approached him and wrapped herself around him in a hug and he wrapped her up in his arms.

“I love it, it was so thoughtful of you, and yes, I don’t like Valentine’s Day, but if I get to spend my time with you uninterrupted then I’m not going to complain.”

He chuckled at her, placing a kiss to her forehead before leading her over to the covered ground. They chatted and laughed as they ate the food Sam had prepared before they found themselves cuddled together and looking up at the sky, the heat of the fire as well as Sam’s body fighting off the chill of the night and keeping Hermione warm.

“This was a great idea,” Hermione said with her eyes closed as she snuggled into him further.

“I wanted to do something special for you, you’ve been working yourself hard lately, between caring for the pack and Teddy, working at the office, completing your potions orders and working with Embry, I’m surprised you’re still sane.”

She snorted at him. “I haven’t been sane for a long time, Sammy.”

He snorted. “Seriously though, Hermione, I don’t know how you do it. How you remain so calm and collected, how you’re always in control no matter the situation. You don’t panic or complain, you just get on with it. You’re the strongest person I know and I don’t doubt I would never be able to do all that you do for everyone. You’re always putting others before yourself, and that’s why I did this for you tonight. You deserve to be taken care of just as much as the others.”

“Well, I have you and Teddy and the pack, and that’s all I need.”

“And that’s why I love you. You don’t ask for anything in return. You don’t care that when we met, I barely had a penny to my name, and now, thanks to you, the business is taking off and we have the biggest contract Forks and La Push has seen.”

She shook her head. “No, you did that all on your own. I just provided you with a building and business name, everything else you worked hard for, you and Jared and Paul.”

“I can’t imagine how my life would’ve turned out if I hadn’t have met you.”

“Well you don’t have to because you’ll always have me, face it, Sammy. You’ve been cursed, you’re stuck with me.”

“It’s not a curse, it’s a miracle that someone as kind and generous as you exists, and even more so that you chose me.”

“It wasn’t a choice or a decision, it just was. From the moment we met I knew you were different and deep down I knew you were it for me, I just ignored it as I was still grieving over Fred. But you understood and you allowed me time to come to terms with my feelings for you and you didn’t push me. That made me fall in love with you all the more.”

“If I could, I’d give you the world.”

“Yet all I want is you,” she replied.

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“I ask myself the same about you every day.”

They fell silent, Sam staring up at the sky with Hermione on the verge of sleep.

“I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Hmmm?” Hermione hummed sleepily.

“Your sleeping pattern.” Hermione’s eyes flew open. “I know you’re not sleeping. I can hear the change in you breathing and heart rate, I can see the pinched look on your face as you dream and I can feel the shuffling you do. What’s troubling you?”

She sighed. “It’s Aelans’ warning.”

“Aelans?”

“The centaur from Hogwarts,” she explained. “I haven’t paid much thought to it but recently it’s been plaguing my mind. During the day I have things to distract me from it, but at night it takes form whilst I’m sleeping and it’s distressing.”

“Do you know what his warning means?”

“No, I only know what I knew before, that there’s a battle coming and I’m going to be a part of it. Nothing has changed, only that I feel as though it’s getting closer. I don’t know how long but my instincts are telling me it’s going to be soon and I’ll have to be on top form when that happens. I need to be prepared and I haven’t fought in battle in nearly two years, my skills will be rusty.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. I said the same to Harry and look at the trouble he got us into.”

Sam snorted. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he repeated.

“I believe you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, My Wolf.”

~000~000~000~

**Friday 17th February 2006**

“Have you finished your schoolwork?”

“Yes, Mom,” Embry joked.

Hermione stepped into the family room and smacked him upside the head as she walked past him. He chuckled and turned his attention back to the TV.

“I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?” He asked, turning to look at her when she sat beside him on the couch.

“I’ve been talking with the boys and we are all in agreement that you’re ready to go back to school.”

His entire face dropped at her words. “Do I have to?” He asked, looking dejected.

“Yes, you do. There’s only so long we can keep saying you’re ill and I won’t allow your education to suffer.”

“But you can home-school me; you’re a genius.”

“Thanks, but I can’t home-school you. I haven’t attended a muggle school since before I was eleven, and my education consists of fighting evil and learning how to survive in a magical world. I can’t teach you math or science; I don’t even know what subjects you’re taught at a muggle school and an American one at that. It’s best that you return. I know you don’t want to leave your pack and that’s due to the bond. Since you’ve been living with us, the bond of the pack has strengthened, you’re instincts are telling you to remain close to the pack but you won’t be away from us for long, and then you come home where we’ll be waiting for you.”

“I don’t want to go back to school.”

“I know, but it’s what’s best for you. You want to work with the boys at the office, and you can, during school holidays and when you graduate, which is in less than two years and it may sound like a long wait, but it isn’t.”

“But what about you and Teddy? You’ll be on your own.”

She smiled at him. “Before I met the pack it was _only_ me and Teddy. We’ll be fine, and when we’re not here, we’ll be at the office. The boys often take Teddy with them to the office, so I can get some time in my lab undisturbed. You need to return and you are ready.”

“The others agree?”

“Yes, they do, you may speak to them when they get back from patrols if you wish to, but they’ll only tell you the same as I. You haven’t had an accidental phasing in over two weeks and your phasing back is down to two minutes. There’s nothing more that can be taught to you and you’ve done remarkably and I couldn’t be any prouder.”

“I still don’t like it,” he pouted.

She chuckled. “Of course you don’t, you’re a teenage boy, I’d be surprised if you _wanted_ to go to school. The patrol schedule is being changed so it doesn’t affect your sleeping pattern, you’ll have the first patrol with Sam, and Jared and Paul will have the later patrol. You should be back by midnight so there’s no reason for you to sleep in.”

“Like you’d let me,” he snorted. “I saw what you did to Sam when he wouldn’t get out of bed last week and he’s your boyfriend.”

She shrugged. “He should’ve gotten up when I told him to.” He laughed at her. “I’ve called the school and told them you’ll be returning on Monday, so that means we need to get you some new school supplies and clothing, too. We’ll go shopping on Sunday.”

~000~000~000~

Hermione had been having a rather peaceful sleep until it was disturbed and she began tossing and turning in bed with a searing pain in her back and her body aching as her magic rushed through her veins.

She bolted upright with heavy breathing before she jumped out of bed and ran into her bathroom. She wore one of Sam’s t-shirt to bed since his body temperature often kept her more than warm enough. The t-shirt swamped her small frame, falling off one shoulder and to her knees, but she didn’t care, she loved wearing his t-shirts to bed; she was surrounded by his scent when he was doing patrols and Sam didn’t complain that she often stole his clothing either.

She lifted the t-shirt to see that she now has five names on her back and Jacob had been added to the collection, meaning he’d phased. She ran from her room and down the stairs and straight to the door. Just as she pulled it open and stepped onto the porch, she saw the large wolf sat a little aways from the house, his eyes locked on her.

She shivered in the cold, as she hadn’t bothered putting on any more clothing and barefoot, she padded down the steps and across the cold, damp sand until she stood before the wolf.

He stared at her, looking confused and frightened and her heart went out to him. She slowly approached him and held her hand out, he sniffed at it before a whine was torn from his throat and much like Embry had, he collapsed to the ground.

She dropped beside him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against his long fur. “It’s okay, Jacob, everything’s going to be alright.” He turned his head towards her at the sound of his name. “You are safe, you are pack and you are home,” she said softly. “Let’s get you inside and everything will be explained to you, I promise you will not face any judgement in this house. This house is now your home, too.” She pulled back from him and started walking towards the house, hearing his paws thudding against the sand as he followed her. “Don’t freak out,” she said before he squeezed himself through the door frame and his eyes took in his surroundings. His eyes widened and he swayed on his feet but he didn’t faint. “Well done, Embry fainted,” she chuckled and his eyes snapped back to her at her comment.

She walked over to the lit fireplace and sat herself down on the rug in front of the fire and Jacob followed her, she patted her knees and he seemed to understand and he lowered himself onto his stomach beside her and rested his head in her lap, as she ran her hands through his long russet coloured fur.

“You know what’s happened to you, we’ve had this discussion before but you don’t remember it but I’m going to help you to remember.” He looked up at her with his large eyes, still looking frightened. “Everything is going to be okay, Jacob, I swear it. You are safe. You are loved and you are protected,” she whispered before she summoned her wand and pressed it between his eyes. “ _Legilimens_ ,” she whispered and she was pulled into his mind.

She was flooded by all the confused and frightened thoughts that were mulling around but she ignored them as she headed straight to the back of his mind. She found the locked box before taking the key and opening the lock, removing it entirely before she pulled back.

The wolf whimpered in pain as his memories were returned to him, and after a couple of minutes, he sprung away from her until he was sitting up and looking down at her with wide eyes.

“Welcome to the pack, Jacob,” she said softly. “You know what has happened to you, you know why and you know how. You know of your packmates and you know of me. If you have any questions you may ask them once we’ve gotten you back into your human form. Jared, Paul and Sam are patrolling at the moment and they are due back in a couple of hours. They’ve been catching the scent of a vampire mulling about the borders of La Push and are doubling up their patrols until they discover what’s happening. Embry is asleep upstairs.”

“Hermione, I thought I heard you talking to someone...” Embry’s voice flittered into the room before he appeared, looking as though he’d just woken up, which he had after hearing noises.

He halted when he saw the wolf before her, his eyes wide and his mouth open before it morphed into a large grin.

“It’s about time, I’ve been waiting for you to phase for ages,” Embry laughed, taking Jacob by surprise. “Err, I’m sorry about phasing in front of you,” he scratched the back of his neck. “As a member of the pack, I’m protective of them and I didn’t like the things you were saying, but I guess you know that. Now that you’re one of us, you’ll understand and you’ll have the same protective instincts as the rest of us. Welcome to the pack,” he grinned before sitting himself down on the couch.

Jacob turned his eyes to Hermione and she chuckled at him.

“He’s right, you’re pack now. You’re family and we are fiercely protective of each other.”

“Yeah, Hermione’s the mom, sister and best friend of everyone, but Sam, that would just be weird,” he grimaced and she rolled her eyes. “You don’t want to make her mad,” he winced, just thinking about the things he’d witnessed from her, as well as her terrifying temper during the full moon and he couldn’t wait for Jacob to experience that.

“I suppose we better get you back into your human form so we can talk, don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it right away, it takes a while to learn how to control your abilities, but with me here, it should help you to focus and remain calm. Embry, would you like to show Jacob how it’s done?”

“My pleasure,” he grinned.

He stood up and he stripped himself of his boxers. Jacob’s eyes widened when neither Embry nor Hermione batted an eyelash at him being naked in front of her.

Embry shrugged. “There’s no embarrassment in this house. Hermione’s seen everyone naked more times than I can count, when we phase it destroys our clothes and we change back naked. Hermione’s seen me naked more times than I have myself,” he looked more amused than uncomfortable as silently shifted into his wolf form.

_‘How are you feeling, Jake?’_

_‘What the fuck!’_ Jacob visibly flinched and Hermione immediately knew why.

“Embry,” Hermione scolded and he turned his eyes towards her, looking apologetic and he shrugged his massive shoulders.

_‘Sorry, should’ve warned you ‘bout that. The pack shares a mind link, when we’re in our wolf forms, we’re able to communicate with each other and that means we can see each other’s thoughts and memories, too.’_

_‘I don’t know what to do,’_ Jacob replied dejectedly.

_‘It’s easy, just clear your mind and don’t think of Bella, I can’t believe you’re still hung up on the leech lover...’_

_‘Don’t call her that!’_

_‘Sorry,’_ he replied, but not sounding it.

 _‘Calm down!’_ A voice said.

 _‘Who is that?’_ Jacob asked.

_‘Like I said, when we’re in our wolf forms we can communicate with each other. Jared, Paul and Sam are patrolling in their wolf forms, meaning they can hear everything we’re saying to each other.’_

_‘He’s right, Jacob,’_ Jared entered his mind.

_‘We’ll have to get some more training pants.’_

_‘Seriously, Paul, that jokes getting old,’_ Embry rolled his eyes.

_‘I disagree, it gets funnier each time I say it.’_

_‘Whatever,’_ Embry replied.

_‘Just you wait, when I get back I’m going to...’_

_‘What? Crack all the mirrors in the house with that ugly mug of yours?’_

Jared and Sam chucked down the link.

_‘You little...’_

“Embry, I asked you to help Jacob phase back, not antagonise Paul,” Hermione spoke up, eyeing the two wolves in amusement.

 _‘How does she know?’_ Jacob asked surprised.

 _‘She knows everything,’_ four voices replied in unrehearsed unison.

 _‘Welcome to the pack, Jacob,’ Sam spoke. ‘Just listen to Hermione, she knows what she’s doing and watch Embry, we should be back in a couple of hours and if you haven’t phased back by then, we’ll help you. Clear your mind, forget about everything that happened. Just focus on being human again.’_ His words then turned away from Jacob _. ‘Paul, take the left, Jared you’re on the right, I’ll take the middle.’_

 _‘You got it,’_ Jared spoke.

 _‘On it,’_ Paul replied. _‘And just you wait, Pup, you’re barely out of training pants and you’re already getting too big for your boots. I’m going to have to put you in your place.’_

 _‘I look forward to seeing you try,’_ Embry snorted.

 _‘What wood would you like for your coffin?’_ Jared asked lightly. Sam chuckled and Paul laughed down the link, even Jacob snorted.

 _‘Very funny, Jared,’_ Embry grumbled. _‘I’m not the one that’s lost a bet to Hermione.’_

Paul’s laughter suddenly stopped. _‘You haven’t mastered phasing.’_

_‘Oh? Then why’s Hermione told me I’m going back to school on Monday?’_

_‘Shit! Do you think she’ll let me out of it?’_

The answering laughter he received confirmed what he already knew.

 _‘What bet?’_ Jacob asked, sounding a lot calmer than he had before as he interacted with the pack and listened to their brotherly teasing.

 _‘Hermione bet Paul that Embry would master phasing before you turned, now he’s lost the bet and he has to do everything she says for a week,’_ Jared explained.

_‘And this is bad because?’_

Paul grumbled unintelligibly and the others laughed.

_‘Because you don’t know Hermione; she’s brilliant and terrifying at the same time. Welcome to the pack. Now, phase back, if Embry can do it, so can you.’_

_‘Hey!’_ Embry protested.

“Boys, I’m beginning to lose my patience,” Hermione said.

 _‘Shit, you better phase or she’ll kill us all for distracting you,’_ Paul said.

 _‘You’re scared of her?’_ Jacob asked.

 _‘Terrified,’_ four voices said together. Jacob turned his head to look at Hermione and she raised an eyebrow at him.

The two wolves and human looked up when they heard a cry coming from up the stairs and Hermione got up and disappeared from the room.

 _‘’What’s that?’_ Jacob asked.

 _‘Teddy, you’ll love him, he’s awesome,’_ Embry grinned, just as Hermione returned with Teddy in her arms.

She put him down when he wriggled in her hold and he ran straight to Embry, wrapping himself around Embry’s leg and giggling. He then turned his head and his giggling stopped as he stared at the other large wolf in the room.

_‘Why is he looking at me like that?’_

_‘Just wait for it, I hope you like kids because Teddy’s the pup of the pack and since you’ve phased, he going to be spending a lot of time with you to help you transition into pack life.’_

Jacob was surprised when Teddy laughed loudly in delight and flung himself at him, wrapping himself around his leg and hugging him tightly as he grinned up at him, not even the slightest bit bothered or afraid of him.

_‘He wants a piggyback ride, welcome to pack life, Jake, and it’s awesome.’_


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 4

**Sunday 19th February 2006**

It’d been two days since Jacob had phased for the first time and he was slowly beginning to settle in with the pack. Despite the teasing he'd seen between the pack through the mind link and it lightening the mood and helping to calm him, he hadn’t been able to phase back until after the pack had returned home a few hours later.

When he was human once more, Hermione gave him a blanket to cover himself as his embarrassment levels were off the charts, much to the amusement of the others. Jacob had sat himself on the couch in silence whilst he processed everything, and during that time, Teddy had taken to tugging on his long hair.

Jacob had almost fainted when Teddy changed his appearance to look like him and Hermione gave him a hair cut to make him more comfortable and then they’d answered any questions he posed to them.

Jared had taken on the responsibility of going to Billy’s to check on him as he’d been present during Jacob’s first phase, and when he returned, it was agreed upon that Jacob was to stay at the house until he got his abilities under control.

There was one bedroom left and Hermione took Jacob to it before he borrowed some of Sam’s clothing, seeing as Jacob was closer to Sam’s size as he was taller than even Sam, standing at six-foot-seven. She left him to get some sleep but had to pry Teddy off his leg.

When Jacob left his room for the first time, it was at lunchtime but everyone else had slept in also. He sat at the dining table quietly eating the food Hermione had made whilst he watched the interaction of the pack. He spent most of his time with Embry –and Teddy, who followed him everywhere- in his bedroom that day and when dinner rolled around, he participated in the conversation and laughter and he seemed to be more at ease.

Later in the evening he’d gone on a walk with Hermione on the beach until he received a phone call, and at the sight of the caller ID, he phased. He followed Hermione back to the house where they sat on the rug in front of the fire until he was able to phase back, which took a few hours, and after a snack he went to bed.

The next day he sat for breakfast before the pack took Jacob into the woods to help him with his phasing. They returned for lunch before leaving to continue with their training and they were all but forced to take Teddy with them as he kicked up a fuss every time they tried to leave without him. They returned for dinner with the pack laughing and teasing each other as they walked through the door, and Jacob had a genuine smile on his face. After dinner, Hermione and Jacob went for a walk down the beach and of course, Teddy went with them, and that was how they could be found, sat on the beach and looking out at the waves.

Hermione sat next to Jacob, bundled up in layers of clothing to keep her warm, Jacob was wearing nothing but his t-shirt and jeans and Teddy was sat on his lap, also bundled up and giggling to himself for no apparent reason.

“How are you feeling?” Hermione asked him and he turned his head to look at her. “I know this is a big change for you, and I know that before your phasing, you wished to have a normal life.”

He sighed. “I do wish to have a normal life but the transition into the pack would’ve been a lot more difficult if I didn’t have you and Teddy helping me.” He looked down at Teddy fondly and he chuckled when he grinned up at him, changing his appearance to look like him. “Why does Paul keep glaring at me?”

Hermione snorted. “Don’t take it personally, he’s just jealous.” Jacob raised an eyebrow. “Paul has always been Teddy’s favourite, he follows him around all the time, and then Embry phased and Teddy turned his attention to him and away from Paul, and once Embry’s bond with the pack had been established and he was turning his attention back to Paul, you phased and he’s turned his attention to you instead. So, Paul’s jealous,” she shrugged.

“Due to the bond you share with me, you’re unable to hurt me and due to the bond you have with Teddy, you’re unable to hurt him. Teddy is not afraid of you, his father was a werewolf. Teddy’s understanding of the ways of the pack is instinctual and even greater than mine, despite his age. His role in the pack is to calm you, he brings hope and love and family. He’s what’s holding the pack together. Teddy may have only known you a couple of days but he loves you,” she said softly. “To him, you are his friend, brother and uncle. He trusts you to protect him and to care for him. And in return, he will love you, he will trust you and he will protect you from yourself. He’ll help you to sort through your thoughts and feelings.”

Jacob looked down at Teddy to see that he was looking at him seriously and he was nodding his head, as if agreeing with Hermione’s words and Jacob couldn’t stop his laughter at the sight.

“I know you wanted a normal life but after a few weeks of being with your pack, you will know no other way, this will be the norm for you. We are your family. We will never abandon you. We will love, trust and protect you. You will always have a home here, Jacob, that I promise you. Before you know it, the ways of the pack will be your life and you’ll cherish the bonds just as the rest of us do.”

“Embry’s different to what I remember,” he commented. “He’s not as quiet or shy.”

“The pack has helped him with his confidence. Embry may not admit it but he used to feel like an outsider. He didn’t know who his father was and his mother was from another Tribe, he didn’t feel as though he belonged here no matter how much his friends cared for him. But now he’s discovered that he’s not only from this Tribe, he has a pack, he has a brotherhood and he has a half-brother. He is a part of something that’s special and life-changing. By day he’s a school student, by night he’s a protector of his Tribe. He’s confident because he feels accepted for who and what he is. You will never face judgement in my house. If you were to ask Embry what he’d do if he had the chance to change everything, what do you think he’d say?”

“He wouldn’t change anything that’s happened to him,” Jacob replied. “I know; I asked him how he felt about being brought into this world and I’ve never seen him so happy when he was explaining it to me, he said that if he could, he wouldn’t change anything. Becoming a wolf is the best thing to happen to him.”

Hermione smiled at him. “Give it time and you may feel the same. Yes, you’ve got responsibilities you shouldn’t have but you’ve gotten something in return. You’ve gotten a family, a pack. You have Teddy and you have me. Jacob, I would do anything you asked me to. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’d kill to protect you.” His eyes widened slightly when he saw that for a moment her eyes flashed amber. “Sam’s told me you turned down becoming the Alpha.”

He cleared his throat and shrugged his massive shoulders lazily. “It might be my right by birth but I don’t want it. I don’t want the dynamics of the pack to change, from what I can tell and from what Embry’s told me, you and Sam are the Alphas and you’re good at it. Sam doesn’t abuse his power, he protects his pack and he makes decisions based on the opinions of his packmates. He does what’s best. I could never do what he’s done, and I’m not going to take away his authority in the pack. He’s worked hard and he deserves it.”

Hermione smiled at him. “Alright, we’ll respect your decision. Now, are you going to tell me why you phased? Or why you phase when your phone rings?”

“No,” he shook his head.

“Jacob, who’s Bella?”

“Embry, I’m going to kill him,” he muttered.

“No, you’re not, he’s only looking out for you.”

Jacob sighed, before he told Hermione about Bella Swan and all the pain she’d caused him.

“Hermione? Are you alright?” He asked, leaning back from her once he finished explaining his complicated relationship with his friend.

Her eyes were flashing amber, her face was contorted in rage and she was gripping her wand tightly in her hand. When had she pulled it?

Much to his surprise, a growl ripped from the back of her throat before she stood and stormed off into the trees. A loud bang sounded.

“What’s happening!” Voices shouted as the pack came barrelling out of the house and over to Jacob.

He rose to his feet and shifted Teddy in his arms, his eyes locked on the woods where there were several clouds of smoke rising into the sky. As another bang sounded, they could hear Hermione growling and using several colourful words that had them all raising their eyebrows in surprise and they looked to Jacob expectantly.

“I told her about Bella,” he admitted.

They stared at him before they started laughing, even as another bang sounded in the distance.

“Ah, that explains it,” Sam muttered, giving his head a shake.

“What’s she doing?” He asked.

“Taking out her anger on the trees rather than going to Bella’s house and killing her,” Jared answered with a nonchalant shrug.

“She wouldn’t do that,” he replied. He saw their raised eyebrows. “Would she?”

“Yes, she would, and it wouldn’t be a painless death either. You should’ve seen what Hermione did to one of Paul’s flings simply for trying to slap him.”

Paul and Jared shivered and Sam smirked, remembering that day well. Jacob blinked.

“You’re pack now, and Hermione’s very protective of us. Bella’s caused you a lot of trouble and she’s messing you about, Hermione won’t stand for it, so you might want to make sure she doesn’t leave the house by herself for a while,” Sam warned. “If you do, I doubt Bella would survive.”

“NO, SHE WOULDN’T!” Hermione’s voice carried from the woods in agreement and Jacob blinked slowly as the others burst into sniggers.

How had she heard that?


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 8

**Saturday 4th March 2006**

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Hermione paced in the living room, her bare feet being chilled by the cold floor and goosebumps forming on her arms and legs in the cold of the room as she was only dressed in one of Sam’s t-shirts.

She alternated between tugging at her wild curls and chewing at her fingernails whilst she muttered to herself anxiously. It was currently two o’clock in the morning and she and Teddy were the only residents in the house.

Why?

Whilst Paul and Jared had been patrolling they came across the scent of a vampire and they wasted no time in contacting Sam, so an hour ago, Sam, Jacob and Embry had left the house to aid their packmates in tracking down the vampire and she’d been pacing back and forth since.

Teddy was snuggled up in his bed sleeping soundly and with no idea that his pack were currently on the trail of a vampire. Hermione had tried to distract herself, but she couldn’t. She’d tried to sit still, but she couldn’t. It was all useless, because not only was she worried for the pack, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming. She couldn’t shake the feeling that soon, their peaceful and happy lives would change and something bad was going to happen. Alean’s warning would not stop replaying in her mind, no matter how hard she tried to forget it.

And to add to the emotional mix of worry, confusion and jitteriness, her magic had been starting to act differently. Not in the sense that something was wrong or that she could no longer control it, but in the sense it had when she first knew Embry and Jacob were going to phase, meaning there would soon be another wolf added to the pack.

Hermione had to give it to Jacob, despite his reservations about not wanting to be part of the pack, after the first week had gone by after his first phasing he’d thrown himself headfirst into being a pack member, and he was doing remarkably well with controlling his abilities, and Hermione believed he would be back at school with Embry within the next couple of weeks.

So if the new wolf could hold out slightly longer, that would be great for her and the rest of the pack; it was much easier to ease one wolf into their new lifestyle than it would be to do two. As much as she hated Paul referring to the wolves as needing ‘training pads’ he wasn’t wrong in his thinking, he just needed to word it differently, and without winding up their new pack member.

Hermione shook her head and looked up at the clock in the kitchen. They’d been gone for an hour and a half now, and her werewolf instincts were fighting to take over. If she allowed that to happen she would find herself tracking the pack’s positioning and rushing to them, she couldn’t allow that. Not only could she not leave Teddy by himself and unprotected, but if she were to leave, it may distract the pack from their doings and she couldn’t risk them getting injured because of her inability to control her wolf. 

Back and forth. Back and forth.

She tugged at her hair and made a sound of frustration which sounded more like a growl. Her eyes caught her appearance in the window as she passed it, seeing them to be amber in colour. She was losing the battle with her wolf and if the pack didn’t return soon, well, the outcome would not be pleasant.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

She was losing her mind. The Wizarding World’s Brightest Witch was losing her mind.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Could insanity be caused by worry?

Back and forth. Back and forth.

If they weren’t home soon, she was going after them.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Finally the door opened and the pack waltzed in the house, an air of confidence and pride surrounding them. She stopped pacing and they came to a stop, too, when they noticed her presence there, obviously, they’d been expecting her to be in bed asleep.

Her amber eyes narrowed on them and she saw them all take the slightest step back.

“Where the bloody hell were you?” She demanded, halfway between a growl and a hiss.

“Err...” Embry said nervously, shifting on his feet and moving partially behind Jared to get out of the way of Hermione’s deadly glare.

“Killing a vampire,” Paul shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets and doing his best not to fidget under her stare.

“What!” She hissed quietly, trying to keep her wolf calm and also not wanting to wake the sleeping toddler currently upstairs.

“Killing a vampire,” Sam replied, his gaze holding hers when her eyes darted to him and away from the others.

“I swear to Merlin himself, if any of you are injured...”

“We’re not and we’re fine,” he assured her.

Much to his amusement, she ignored his words, stalked forward and one by one, she grabbed them and pulled them towards her, her amber eyes sweeping their figures and looking for a single hair out of place. If she found one, she would resurrect the vampire so she could kill it herself.

She started with Sam and he watched her amused and he stepped out of the way, leaving Jared next to be scrutinized by her gaze. He shared some of Sam’s amusement but her gaze made him nervous. Next was Paul and he stood there, still with his hands in his pockets and watching her with a raised eyebrow. When she cleared him Embry was next and he shuffled under her gaze before she cleared him and she moved on to Jacob.

“Is someone going to tell me why her eyes are that colour?” Jacob asked, feeling uncomfortable under her narrowed gaze, but also confusion and annoyance.

He knew they were keeping something from him, he’d asked about Hermione’s strange tendencies many times but he always received the same answer. That he’d understand soon enough. They were even being careful as to what was thought or discussed when in their wolf forms. The pack wanted to keep Hermione’s werewolf status a secret until the next full moon, which was just shy of two weeks. They had enjoyed seeing Embry’s reaction and agreed that it was an act of initiation into the pack and Embry agreed wholeheartedly. Jacob was his best friend, but he didn’t want to be the only one that had been treated in such as way and this time, he was on the secret rather than on the opposite end, and he had to admit it was rather fun being in the know.

“No,” the four shape-shifters replied in unison and Jacob scowled but didn’t bother pushing for answers, knowing he wouldn’t get them.

“See, we’re all fine,” Sam said, softening his voice. Hermione turned from Jacob and towards the others, and in front of them, her amber eyes retreated as did her inner wolf.

“You were worried about us?” Paul asked.

“Of course I was bloody worried, you idiot!” she snapped, making them wince. “You’ve been gone for nearly two hours, all I knew was that you’d tracked the scent of a vampire and you all disappeared. For all I knew, there could’ve been more than one. There could’ve been a whole nest of them. They could’ve been one of the rare vampires that have a gift. Someone could’ve been injured. The vampire could’ve harmed a muggle!”

“Oh,” he cleared his throat. “Sorry?”

She threw her hands up and made a sound of frustration before storming into the kitchen, going over to the freezer and pulling out a carton of ice-cream. She took a spoon from the kitchen drawer and sat on the kitchen countertop as she ate the ice cream in a sulk.

“We’re sorry for worrying you,” Sam spoke, as he and the others made their way over to her, taking seats at the breakfast bar, leaning against the countertop or going to the fridge for a snack.

“What do you mean a vampire that has a gift?” Jared questioned with a frown, nodding in thanks to Paul as he threw him an already made up sandwich from the fridge, since Hermione found it easier to make them in bulk so the pack could later snack on them when they were hungry, rather than her having to make one in that particular moment.

“Don’t you know?” She spoke around a spoonful of ice-cream. They all looked at her dumbly and she blinked, a frown pulling at her face. “Some vampires possess a special gift or ability, though it’s a rare occurrence. These gifts usually carry over from a particular skill they may have had as a human before they were turned. This gives them an advantage over other vampires. This makes them stronger, better, depending on the gift they have,” she explained.

They all frowned, not liking the sound of her words.

“Gifts such as?” Sam asked with a deep frown on his face.

“They vary, since you don’t know of vampires with gifts, I take it you aren’t aware of the Volturi.” The blank looks she received was her answer and she put down her ice-cream on the counter, giving them her full attention. “The Volturi are the most powerful and oldest vampire coven in the world, and they are led by three men known as Aro, Caius and Marcus. These are essentially the Vampire Kings.” They blinked in response. “The Kings and their Guard protect the vampire race from being exposed to humans, and their Guard upholds the laws of their kind.”

“They have laws?” Embry questioned in surprise, both eyebrows rising high on his forehead.

“Yes, they do. For instance, any vampire that creates a newborn vampire is responsible for that newborn. Should the newborn slaughter an entire town of people and expose their existence, not only is the newborn destroyed by the Guard, but so is the creator. And should a human discover the secret of the existence of vampires, that human is either to be turned or killed, and if not, punishment will be given. This is either death or imprisonment with the Volturi and being forced to work for them for centuries.”

“The Volturi have been in power for over a thousand years and they are the most feared coven in the world. Their Guard consists of over twenty members, and each vampire has a special gift, a gift that makes them invaluable. Any vampire that is said to have an invaluable gift is coveted by the Volturi, and they are known for getting what they want. They will stop at nothing to remain in power. As for their gifts, little is known about the Guards’ gifts, though it is said that one member has the ability to numb the senses and cause paralysis, another is said to be able to create an illusion of unimaginable pain, another is said to have the ability to force loyalty and to break all bonds you may share with others, whilst another is said to the greatest tracker in existence. And Aro, one of the Kings, is said to have the ability to read thoughts with a single touch of the hand.”

None of them appeared to be pleased.

“How do you know so much about this?” Jacob asked her.

She shrugged. “I learned it all in school, we learn about vampires in our third year, though they’re looked at more closely in sixth year. I learned about the Volturi in my history of magic class and I completed a research project on them for the theoretical aspect of my history of magic OWL.”

“How d’you know if a vampire has a gift, like you said?” Paul asked, leaning up against the countertop with his arms crossed over his chest.

“The only way to know is if they tell you themselves or you witness them using their gift, otherwise they look like a regular vampire.”

“We’re sorry for worrying you,” Jared said. “Though there was nothing to worry about. There was only one vampire and we took care of him.”

“Do you know why he was here?” She asked, going to pick up the ice-cream carton but she paused when she saw them all exchanging looks, as if they were deciding whether or not they should tell her. “What?”

“Well, he was here to kill Bella,” Embry said delicately, trying to break the news to her gently for fear of her killing the messenger.

Hermione was quiet. Too quiet. Until she wasn’t.

“Of course he was here to kill the bloody bitch!” She snarled and they all winced. “Why did you stop him? You should’ve let him kill her and then destroyed him afterwards. The sooner that stupid, selfish cow is gone the better.”

“Hermione, you’re bei...”

“Don’t you dare!” She growled, her eyes cutting to Jacob who had spoken with the intention of defending Bella. Hermione’s eyes flashed amber in warning. “She hasn’t earned your loyalty or your trust. She doesn’t care for you in any way, if she did she wouldn’t be such a bitch towards you. Ignoring you when her boyfriend’s around, but now that he’s left, she’s come crawling back to you, begging for your attention, for your affection and love. You’re a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for but if you ever fall under her spell, I’ll kill you myself for being so bloody stupid, and then, I’ll kill her. I’ll tear her apart, limb by limb and bash her to death with her own body parts before feeding them to her,” she growled. “And then I’ll bite the bitch,” she added, a terrifying look in her eyes.

The entire house was silent as they all stared at her in various amounts of shock and amusement, though Jacob was the only one confused about her reference to her biting Bella, for the others, it just made her hatred of Bella all the more understandable. They knew she would never contemplate forcing someone to suffer what she has to during the full moon, but then Bella came along and it was suddenly an option. Her hatred for Bella appeared to be on par with her hatred for vampires, if not more.

Paul broke the silence by applauding.

“If she ever comes between my pack, if she’s ever the cause of a member of my pack being hurt, physically or otherwise, I will raise hell on earth to find and kill her, and that is a promise. And if I ever have the displeasure of meeting her...”

Sam cleared his throat, interrupting her. “Well, we’re all safe and no one was hurt, though we might have a bit of trouble brewing so we’ll have to double up patrols for now.” Hermione turned her eyes to him and held his gaze, her own eyes returning to chocolate brown. “We overheard the guy saying he’d been sent to kill her by another.”

“He didn’t put up much of a fight,” Jared spoke, still eyeing Hermione warily as she took a deep breath and returned to eating her ice-cream. “Too bad, he looked like he would’ve,” he sounded almost disappointed.

“Well, I’m proud of you boys,” she spoke, and they seemed to perk up at her comment, her previous death threats towards Bella Swan completely forgotten. “You said another was sent to kill her, did you catch the name?” She asked curiously.

“Err... I think it was Violet,” Embry supplied.

“No, it was definitely Viviane,” Jacob shook his head.

“I thought it Vickie,” Jared frowned.

Hermione dropped her ice-cream to the floor and its contents splattered out everywhere and they all watched her worriedly. Her face, it was a strange combination of pain, anger, relief and victory. Her eyes flashed amber and her hands clenched into tight fists.

“Victoria?” She asked, her voice sounding more like a rumbled growl.

“That’s it!” They all said together, nodding in agreement.

Sam frowned and moved closer to her, putting his hand on her shoulder and feeling the way her entire body had tensed and was shaking in anger. If he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought she was on the verge of phasing.

“What is it?” He asked, his voice quiet and calm.

“ _Victoria_ ,” she growled again, though this time he listened to the way her growl wrapped around the name. He saw her eyes fill with tears and hatred and anger and he soon put the pieces together.

“Is this the vampire you’ve been tracking?” He asked gently. “The one that killed your friends? The one that killed Fred?”

Unable to speak, she simply nodded and noises of surprise filled the room, along with noises of anger and pain on the behalf of Hermione and those that she had lost.

“If she comes, we’ll be ready for her and you can finally avenge their deaths. We won’t allow her to get away, it’ll be the last time you ever have to think about her,” Sam promised before hunching over slightly and pulling Hermione into him in a tight, comforting hug.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly as silent sobs racked her body. No one spoke, no one interrupted, they allowed her to express her feelings whilst watching sadly, their thoughts and feelings with her.

If Victoria came, they would make sure she never left, they’d make sure Hermione could destroy her and finally put the past behind her. This was the last step to her having closure and they all knew it. 

~000~000~000~

No one knew how long they’d be in the kitchen and waiting for Hermione’s sobs to die down, but it was sometime later when her tears stopped falling and her breathing returned to normal. Sam placed a kiss to her forehead before pulling back from her, standing beside her and wrapping his arm around her waist. Her face was red, her eyes puffy and her cheeks felt crusty from the tears that had dried and stained the skin. The boys were looking at her sadly, but she knew it wasn’t in pity. She knew they felt her pain, she knew they wouldn’t allow Victoria to get away from her this time.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” she said.

“You’re pregnant?” Paul guessed.

Sam’s eyes widened, a fear-stricken look crossing his face and Hermione choked on her breath, as the others appeared to be struggling to contain their amusement.

“What! No! Of course, I’m not pregnant!” She said in outrage.

He shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets and a smirk crept up onto his face.

“Well, you can’t blame me for the assumption, you two are always at it.”

“We are not!” She denied indignantly, and they sniggered at her. Her eyes narrowed. “Are you saying I’m fat?!” She demanded.

“Why would you think that?”

“Why else would you assume I’m pregnant? That’s the first thing that came to your mind, which means you think I’m fat.”

Paul’s amusement quickly faded when he realised there was no way he was going to make it out with his favourite appendage still attached. The others’ sniggers turned into laughter and Sam didn’t bother trying to hide a smirk.

“No, I don’t think you’re fat. It was just a joke. What have you been meaning to tell us?”

Hermione’s eyes narrowed further, trying to determine if he was telling the truth and that he genuinely didn’t think she was fat.

“My magic’s been off lately,” she said, turning her gaze from him and he sighed in relief.

“Meaning?” Jacob asked.

“It’s the same feeling I had when I became aware of yours and Embry change.”

“And?”

“And, it means that someone is in the process of going through the transition. I don’t know who since I obviously haven’t had any contact with anyone but the pack lately, and I’m not quite sure when the transition will be over, or how far they’re into it. If I had to guess, it could be Quil. He’s the only other direct descendant left to phase.”

“Great!” Paul grumbled. “More training pads!”


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 10

**Sunday 12th March 2006**

“What is it?” Sam asked sleepily, being woken from his peaceful sleep when he felt Hermione shifting in his arms.

“I don’t know,” she muttered, “I just feel...Strange.”

“Strange?” he repeated.

“Yes, _strange_ ,” she sighed.

“Did you have another dream?”

“Yes, but that’s not what woke me.”

“I’m sure everything’s fine, go back to sleep and you’ll forget about it in the morning,” he said, burying his nose against her neck and nuzzling her skin.

“I don’t think I can.”

“You need your sleep, you’ve been running yourself into the ground lately; you need to rest.”

“I’m not tired,” she protested.

“You either go to sleep, or I’ll be forced to subject you to something that will leave you in a speechless and exhausted state,” he said suggestively.

Hermione snorted. “You make it sound like it’s a punishment, and one that I’d be against.”

His grip on her tightened and he took a deep inhale of her scent.

“Witch, don’t tease,” he growled lightly, his wolf coming through.

She laughed. “Have I ever?”

“Every damn day,” he muttered.

She turned in his hold to face him and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Is that so? How?”

He slipped his hand under her –his- t-shirt and his fingers lightly skimmed the skin of the small of her back as he buried his nose back against her neck, breathing in her scent.

“Every time I look at you, whenever I see you smiling, whenever I hear you laughing, when I watch you with Teddy and the pack, when I watch you cook or read, when I come home from patrols to see you sleeping and the moment I’m beside you, you instantly move closer to me as if knowing I’m there. It takes every ounce of control not to steal you away when you’re in the middle of a conversation or doing something else. Everything you do teases me.”

“Unintentionally,” she pointed out.

“I suppose it’s not your fault I find you irresistible,” he mumbled.

“You’re biased,” she said amused. “And now I’m curious.”

“Hmmm?” He hummed in response.

“How would you cope if I were to _intentionally_ tease you?”

“There’s only one way to find out,” he replied, his hand moving to her leg and lifting it, hooking it over his hip.

“I thought you wanted to sleep,” she said amusedly, feeling his mouth placing soft, butterfly kisses against her throat.

“I’m awake now.”

“I’m aware of that,” she said with a light laugh, feeling the bulge in his underwear resting against her centre. “And whose fault is that?”

“Yours,” he shrugged.

“I don’t think so,” she snorted. “You’re the one that changed the subject entirely with your talk about my apparent teasing ways.”

“There’s no apparent about it, you do tease, all the time, just as you’re doing now.”

“I haven’t even done anything,” she protested.

“Exactly,” he muttered, his mouth moving up her jaw and over her cheek, stopping just shy of her lips. “So, are you going to?”

“I don’t know, do you think you can keep up?”

She giggled as a growl left him, his mouth crashed down onto hers and he barricaded her beneath him.

~000~000~000~

 _She ran as fast as she could through the woods, running as if someone, some_ thing _, was chasing her and if she were to fall or stop, she would face a fate worse than death._

_Up ahead she could see a clearing, the moonlight lighting it up as if it were there solely for her, a light guiding her to safety. With her lungs burning with the need for oxygen and a painful stitch in her side, she pushed her way through the branches and leaves and out into the open._

_She came to a sudden standstill, stopping as firepits were lit and naked bodies littered the ground, bodies that weren’t moving. With her wand in hand, she slowly approached the closest body and bent down, seeing the bite marks and blood that dripped from the wounds. She turned their head to better see their face and a gasp left her._

_It was Jacob._

_A sob tore from her as she felt a piece of her heart break off and shatter. She lifted her eyes and quickly made her way around the rest of the bodies._

_Embry. Sweet Embry was dead with an arm torn from his shoulder. Another piece of her heart broke off and shattered._

_She stumbled backwards until she tripped over, landing on her arse. She pushed herself up and turned her head to see the reason for her falling._

_Jared. Kind, considerate, Jared. His body ice-cold to the touch, his left leg gone and his smile nowhere to be seen. She lost another piece of her heart, it shattering just as the others had._

_She heard a pained groan and her head snapped to it, her feet carrying her over to the noise before she’d even realised she’d done it._

_Paul. Teddy bear soft Paul, lay on the ground with blood pouring from a fatal looking slash on his stomach. She used her wand to clean the blood away and cast spell after spell, trying to heal the wound but every time she did, the wound would re-open, nothing was working._

_She screamed in frustration and anger. Why couldn’t she help him? Why wasn’t it working?_

_“Hermione?” His voice cracked and his eyes opened._

_“It’s me, I’m here,” she said softly, lifting her hand to run through his hair and he weakly turned his head towards her. “Everything’s going to be fine, I’m going to make you better, I promise,” she cried._

_“Rule number two, don’t lie,” he replied before his eyes closed and his weak breathing stopped. He was gone. They were all gone._

_She screamed her pain and agony and a cackle drew her attention. She turned her head and through her bleary eyesight, she caught sight of a figure stepping into the moonlight. A figure with bright red hair and impossible beauty, a figure she would recognise anywhere._

_“Victoria,” she growled in a way she never had before, her throat hurting as if her wolf was physically trying to claw its way up her throat and out of her mouth._

_She smirked at her. “I hear you’ve been looking for me, well, I decided it’s been a while since our last meeting and I thought it polite that I at least make the effort in our relationship. I was only expecting you; imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon those you’ve been keeping yourself company with. My, my, I never thought you had it in you,” she spoke, her red eyes glinting and her mouth twitching into a cruel smile. “It’s such a shame they had to be eliminated due their association with you.”_

_“You’re going to regret your existence,” Hermione snarled, tears streaming down her face and her wand held so tightly her knuckles changed colour._

_“Perhaps,” Victoria shrugged. “But not before I break you.”_

_Before her eyes, Sam appeared before Victoria, kneeling on the ground and covered in bites and gouges, his head bowed weakly and barely looking to be breathing._

_“I swear to Hell itself, you hurt him, I’ll do more than kill you,” Hermione snarled, her eyes a steady amber glowing in the brightness of the moon and she took a step forward._

_Victoria’s eyebrow merely twitched, before she brought her hand to Sam’s head, grabbing him by the hair and tugging his head up. His beautiful eyes locked on Hermione._

_Then his head was torn from his body._

~000~000~000~

**Monday 13th March 2006**

Hermione woke with a blood-curdling scream, tears falling down her face and Sam’s face looking down at her horrified. She’d never seen him so frightened.

She flung herself at him, latching onto him tightly and refusing to let go. He tried his best to console her, to get her to calm down but nothing helped, he just had to wait until she’d cried herself into exhaustion and she was able to get a grip on reality. Whatever her mind had conjured up during her sleep frightened her.

He didn’t know how long he’d been sat there, holding Hermione against him, his hands alternating between running through her hair and tracing calming patterns on her back, but she eventually calmed down.

She pulled back from him, her puffy, red eyes immediately locking onto his worried, questioning stare.

“Please, don’t ever leave me,” she whispered.

“I will never leave you,” he promised.

“I won’t survive losing you.”

“You’re not going to lose me.”

She buried her face into his neck, breathing in his scent, hearing the strange purring noises that left him, his wolf coming forward in an effort to comfort her and it worked.

“What frightened you so much? I’ve never seen you like this,” he said quietly.

“It’s something that I’m going to make sure never happens.”

~000~000~000~

That morning, as Embry came down the stairs dressed and ready for school and with his backpack slung over his shoulder, he was tackled by Hermione. The shock of the action sending him tumbling back and crashing into the wall.

He looked down at her, seeing her puffy, red eyes and tearstained face. He lifted his eyes to Sam, seeing him stood by the oven and with a knife in hand. Sam caught his stare and shook his head before nodding to Embry. Embry seemed to understand Sam’s instructions and without further delay, he wrapped his arms around Hermione in a hug.

“Embry, my sweet, gentle, Embry, I’m never going to let anyone harm you, I promise,” she whispered, her tone sad and a slight croak to her voice as if she was trying to stop herself from crying.

“I know,” he replied. “Despite your age, you’re like a second mom to me.”

Hermione let out a sniffle and Sam sent him a glare for making her cry again, even if his comment had been meant to comfort her.

Footsteps coming down the stairs drew her attention, and just as Jacob rounded the corner into the kitchen, he was met by a bone-crushing hug from Hermione. He looked at Sam and Embry confused. Embry shrugged whilst Sam shook his head and nodded to Hermione, like he had with Embry. Jacob frowned but wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

“Jacob, my nosy, pain in the arse, Jacob, you’re safe with me and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you,” she said quietly.

His frowned deepened. “I’m aware of that, particularly after seeing your reaction to my relationships regarding _certain_ people,” he responded. Sam glared at him but surprisingly Hermione didn’t comment. “I know you’d protect me if you thought I needed it. It’s what Alphas do, as well as moms. I haven’t had one since my mom died and I’d forgotten what it’s like to feel that, until I met you, that is.”

A sob tore from Hermione and he winced when she hugged him tighter. Hermione’s attention was pulled by the sound of the door opening and she turned her head to see Paul and Jared entering the house, arriving home from patrols. They stopped in their steps and their words never left their mouths as they stared at the strange scene before them.

Jared made a noise of surprise when Hermione was in front of him and wrapping herself around him tightly, silently crying into his chest. He stared in surprise and turned his eyes to Paul -who was just as confused- and then to Embry and Jacob, who both shrugged and then nodded to Hermione.

Jared frowned slightly as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

“My kind, caring, Jared, I will never let anyone hurt you, and should they, it will be the biggest mistake of their life.”

He blinked and cleared his throat. “I know,” he nodded. “We’re family, pack. I’d do the same for you.” A sob tore from the back of her throat and she hugged him tighter, making him wince.

She pulled away from him and Paul now expecting it after witnessing what she’d done to Jared, and apparently the others, too, accepted her hug immediately.

“My Paul, such a teddy bear at heart and so loving, I promise you will always be safe.” She pulled back from him, lifting her hand to his stomach and lightly trailing her fingers over were the deep slash had been in her dream. “I won’t allow anyone to hurt you.”

His hand moved to catch hers, stopping her movements across his stomach. She lifted her eyes and found him staring at her.

“I know, you’ve always kept me safe and protected me, especially from my dad,” he said quietly. The others looked away, faking ignorance. “Now, what’s going on in that clever, little head of yours?” He asked her softly, his hand coming up as he gently tapped her temple with a finger.

“Nothing,” she lied, and their hearing picked up on Teddy shuffling about upstairs. “I’ll get him,” she said, seeing that Embry was about to leave the room.

She left the kitchen with everyone’s eyes on her, watching every step she took. When she was out of sight and they were sure she wouldn’t hear them, they all crowded over to the breakfast bar and stared at Sam expectantly.

“What the hell was that about?” Paul demanded, a look on his face that dared Sam to lie to him. If he was challenging the Alpha, no one mentioned it. Paul was _very_ protective of Hermione, more so than the others were, and when it came to Hermione all bets were off the table regarding how he’d react.

“She had a nightmare last night,” Sam relented.

“Nightmare? About what?” Paul questioned. “The war?”

Sam shook his head. “No, she doesn’t have nightmares about the war when I’m with her. This was something else. Whatever it was, it terrified her.”

“You don’t fucking say,” Paul snapped. “That scared the shit out of me,” he hissed, gesturing about the others, indicating to what had just transpired. “I’ve never seen her that way before, she looked awful, even worse than after the full moon.”

“Full moon?” Jacob questioned confused, but he was ignored as Paul continued with his words.

“What scared her so much that it prompted her to cling to us and declare her willingness to protect us?”

“I don’t know,” Sam snapped back, his Alpha voice making a slight appearance and they all looked down at the ground. Sam sighed and gained control of himself. “I don’t know,” he repeated calmly. “Listen, a few weeks ago she confessed she’d not been sleeping well, she’s been having dreams of the warning that centaur gave her back at Hogwarts.”

“Hogwarts?” Embry asked.

“Centaur?” Jacob questioned.

“What warning?” They both asked together, but they were ignored by the three older wolves all staring at each other silently.

“Something’s coming, she said she can feel it, and I suspect that’s what her nightmare was about. Whatever it was, I’ve never seen her like that before, even I couldn’t calm her down; I just had to wait until she exhausted herself.”

“Her vowing to protect us?” Jared asked.

Sam nodded in understanding to the point he was making. “I suspect that her nightmare had something to do with us getting hurt and that’s why she was the way she was this morning. I hope you have no plans today.”

“Why?” Jacob asked.

“Because she’s not going to want to let any of you out of her sight,” he answered. “Even you,” he added, looking to Embry.

“I don’t mind staying home from school,” Embry shrugged.

“You’re going and that’s final, once she pulls herself out of this, she’ll hex my ass for even thinking of letting you have the day off,” Sam said to the sniggers of the other four wolves, knowing it was true.

They all quickly separated and went about their own tasks in the kitchen when they heard Hermione’s footsteps coming down the stairs and Teddy’s babbling. As she entered, she watched them all carefully, as if checking them for injuries, as if making sure they really were in front of her and they were safe.

Jared and Paul shared a look and then nodded to each other. They both headed over to Hermione, Jared kissing her on the cheek and then taking Teddy from her and Paul slung his arm around her shoulders and guided her over to the breakfast bar, pushing her onto a stool. He turned and strode over to the boiled kettle and made her a cup of tea, just the way she liked it and he retrieved her favourite biscuits from the cupboard.

“Get that down you; you’ll feel better, and afterwards, I’ll let you paint my nails.”

Jacob and Embry both choked on their drinks and Jared snorted at them whilst Teddy giggled.

“Why would you let me do that?” She asked him with a frown.

He shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Well, I’ve been thinking and it’s not fair that I backed out of our deal. You won the bet, and when I refused to let you paint my nails, it wasn’t fair to you. I feel I betrayed your trust and it’s not good sportsmanship either. We made a deal, and I broke it, so now, I’m going to rectify that. You can paint my nails, any colour you want.”

“Any?” She asked, her mouth twitching into her first smile of the day.

“Any,” he confirmed.

“Good to know,” she replied, a slight smirk on her lips as she picked up her tea and took a bite of her chocolate biscuit.

“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”

“Yep,” she said amused.

“Great,” he sighed.

“And I’m going to charm them, too. When I’m finished, not only will you not be able to remove the nail polish, but it’ll flash like a neon sign.”

“Awesome,” he groaned. The others sniggered at him.

Paul turned to look behind him at Sam, seeing him preparing pancakes for breakfast. Feeling his eyes on him, Sam turned and caught Paul’s gaze. He nodded to him and mouthed, ‘Thank you,’ his eyes turning to Hermione and seeing her smiling once again. Paul nodded before turning his attention back to Hermione.

“So, you going to clue me in on colour choice?” He asked her, leaning forward against the breakfast bar.

“Nope,” she replied before taking another biscuit.

The others laughed when Paul reached for a biscuit and he found himself being chased out of the kitchen by Hermione and her wand hot on his tail.

~000~000~000~

Later that night, Hermione woke to a sensation that was beginning to become familiar to her; a strange feeling within her magic and her back burning as though she’d been branded with a hot iron poker. Without thought, she climbed out of bed, noting the cold emptiness of Sam’s side meaning he’d left for patrols a while ago. She headed to the bathroom and lifted her t-shirt, looking in the mirror to see a sixth name being added to her skin. Quil.

She calmly made her way down the stairs and once she reached the door, she slipped on a pair of shoes and a coat to protect her from the chill of the night. She opened the door and sat herself down on the porch steps, waiting for their newest pack member to come to her, and she didn’t have to wait long.

Before she knew it, a large chocolate brown wolf appeared on the beach and approached the house. The moment he became aware of her presence he dropped onto the ground on his stomach and she stood and confidently but slowly approached him. As she grew closer, she saw that the fur around his face was much lighter than the rest of his body, and Hermione thought he was actually quite beautiful.

“It’s been a while, Quil,” she said softly, dropping onto her knees before him and allowing him the opportunity to breathe in her scent, knowing it would help to calm him.

As expected, the wolf let out a whine and she moved closer, wrapping herself around him and giving him the comfort he needed, and once the chill outside became too cold to no longer ignore, she stood and walked with him towards the house.

She sat with him on the rug, his head resting in her lap as she ran her fingers through his fur and he listened quietly and contemplatively to everything she told him, starting with the truth of the legends, her involvement with the pack and moving onto her telling him about Jacob and Embry. The large wolf perked up immediately and she chuckled.

“They’re upstairs sleeping, it’s their turn for patrols once the others return,” she explained. “Their phasing was the reason they were absent from school for so long, we had to keep them away from the public until they learned to control their abilities. As you know, Embry’s back at school and I’m sure you were surprised by his new appearance. Jacob’s not quite there yet but it shouldn’t be too long. When the boys return, they’ll help you to phase back into your human form. Any questions that you have will be answered and your father and Grandfather will be visited to alert them to your change. You will most likely be staying here until you learn to control your abilities, meaning I’m going to have to sort out new rooming measures,” she said the last part mostly to herself as a mental note. “Until then, you can share with one of the boys, I doubt they’d mind. Now, let’s get you fed. You’ll be able to concentrate a lot better once you’ve eaten.”

She stood and made her way to the kitchen, returning with some tea and chicken for the large wolf. Once he’d eaten, she took it back to the kitchen and returned the milk back into the fridge, stopping when she saw the steak and meats sat on plates, being reminded of what was to come.

She groaned and walked back over to Quil.

“Fantastic,” Hermione sighed, her hands resting on her hips as she looked down at the large wolf laid on his stomach with his head resting on his paws and his eyes looking up at her innocently. “You have really bad timing, you know that?” She said, half-jokingly and half-serious. 

She turned her attention to the door, just as Sam, Jared and Paul entered, stopping immediately in their steps at the sight that met them.

“Oh,” was all Sam said.

“Oh, indeed,” Hermione nodded. She turned her eyes back to the wolf, seeing him eyeing the boys strangely. “Well, I’d like to introduce you to the rest of your pack, Jacob and Embry are still sleeping upstairs, as you know, and now we have the rest of the pack who have returned from their patrols for the night. Jared, Paul and your Alpha, Sam. Boys, meet our newest pack member, Quil.” The three shifters nodded in greeting and the wolf nodded back. “I was just saying how he has perfect timing,” Hermione said.

“Meaning?” Jared asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s the full moon tomorrow,” she answered.

Paul and Jared snorted before it turned into laughter. 

“Looks like the newest member’s going to be put through the wringer on his first day of phasing, I almost feel sorry for him,” Paul spoke.

“ _Almost_?” She questioned.

“Almost,” Se confirmed. “We’ve still got Jacob on training pads, and now we’ve got Quil, too.”

Paul barely dodged the cushion that was thrown his way, which of course, was followed by a hex.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 8

**Tuesday 14th March 2006**

Embry was knocked into as Jacob all but ran from the kitchen, and picking up on Hermione’s grumbles and knowing what the night would bring, he quickly understood that Jacob had just witnessed Hermione’s full moon temper. He struggled to contain his laughter.

“What’s got you so scared?” He asked innocently.

Jacob stared at Embry with a confused, worried look on his face.

“Hermione, she’s in a _really_ bad mood. I’ve never seen her so terrifying. She growled at me, actually _growled!_ And her eyes changed colour. What’s going on? The others refused to answer my questions and just laughed at me before Hermione growled at them, too.”

It was very hard for Embry to keep a straight face and he didn’t know how he managed it.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he answered.

“Bullshit,” Jacob replied.

“Language!” Hermione growled from the kitchen and Jacob visibly gulped.

Embry suspected he was taking for too much joy in the current situation, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care, even if it was his best friend.

“See, she’s fine,” he shrugged.

“Jacob, get in here and eat your breakfast!”

“I’d do as she says, today is not the day to mess with her,” he said amused.

“You know something, I know you do, why won’t anyone tell me? Why’s it such a big secret?”

“Look, all I’m going to say is it’s part of the initiation process and everything will be clear soon. So, until then, do as she says and you won’t get hexed.”

Embry walked past Jacob and into the kitchen seeing the three older wolves all crowded around the breakfast bar and hiding their amusement behind their coffee mugs, as a newly turned Quil sat on a stool, a fork in his hand and a terrified look on his face.

Embry walked over to the counter and picked up the plate of food that had been put out for him, grabbing a fork from the drawer and the glass of orange juice that had been left out for him. He took them all over to the breakfast bar and squeezed in beside Jacob who had retaken his seat and was slowly eating his breakfast, his eyes warily watching Hermione as she paced back and forth, muttering to herself and rubbing at her temples with her hands.

“Blinds!” She snapped.

“I’ve got it,” Embry said to the others before walking over to the windows to shut the blinds and returning to his breakfast.

“Embry, if you don’t hurry up you’re going to be late for school,” Hermione grizzled. “Get a move on.”

Quil slowly leaned closer to Jacob. “I thought she was supposed to be nice,” he whispered, not being aware of Hermione’s hearing, particularly of its sensitivity during the day of the full moon.

“I am nice!” She growled, stopping her pacing to glare at him. Quil gulped and shrank back, looking completely terrified.

The four wolves all sniggered before quickly sobering when Hermione turned her glare to them. The ‘pop’ of the toaster alerted Sam to Hermione’s toast being ready and with Teddy sat on his hip and happily munching on a sausage, he walked over to it, removed the toast and quickly covered it in a thick layer of chocolate spread.

He handed the plate over to Hermione, his lip twitching at the way she lifted it closer to her nose and inhaled deeply, her entire body relaxing. She opened her eyes and her mouth pulled into a smile and she moved closer to him, reached up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his mouth, pulling back to trail her fingers down his cheek and across his jaw and he tilted his head slightly.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she said quietly, before leaning up to give him another kiss. She pulled back from him and kissed Teddy on the cheek and he giggled, before offering her a bite of his sausage. She chuckled. “No, thank you, Teddy. You eat it all up like a big boy,” she said softly.

She turned her attention back to the pack, seeing them all watching her with various forms of amusement, confusion and fear.

“The plan today, Jared will be taking you to school,” she spoke, her eyes flashing between amber and chocolate brown whilst she looked at Embry and he nodded. “And Paul will be picking you up. Jacob, you and Sam will be spending the day with Quil in the woods, helping him to get a handle on his abilities. We can’t risk either of you accidentally changing back tonight.”

“Why?” Jacob asked, but he was ignored.

“Paul and Jared will be going into the office to prepare the materials for an upcoming job. Jared will be picking up dinner on their way back to the house. Teddy will be going with Sam and Jacob, in hopes that his presence will be able to help Quil, like it did Embry and Jacob. I will be spending the day in my potions lab, do not disturb me. Embry, Paul, Jared, your lunch is in the fridge. Everyone, be careful and have a good day, I’ll see you later tonight.” With that she left the room, a mug of tea and a plate of chocolate-covered toast in hand.

“Well, she seems to be getting better,” Paul commented, handing Teddy a slice of toast since he tried to reach for the plate and if Sam didn’t have such a good hold on him he would’ve fallen.

“Fanks,” the almost two-year-old grinned and they chuckled at him as he stuffed the toast into his mouth with Sam wrestling with him, attempting to prevent him from choking.

“It’s getting easier to help her, the more she goes through this with us, the better we understand what we need to do to make this easier on her,” Jared shrugged.

“And what exactly is she going through and why is she so _terrifying_ this morning?” Jacob spoke, sounding annoyed. The four wolves just looked at him blankly and he grumbled before going back to eating his breakfast, knowing he wasn’t going to get answers.

“Right, Embry, we better get you to school before Hermione decides to hex the both of us,” Jared spoke, Sam and Paul both snorted. “I’ll meet you at the office,” he said to Paul, before downing the last of his coffee and going over to the fridge, removing the brown paper bags with his name written on, along with Embry’s. “Let’s go.”

They both said their goodbyes to the rest of the pack before Paul soon followed them, taking Sam’s keys to the truck and leaving out the door with his lunch in hand.

Sam was tending to Teddy when he caught Quil looking at him strangely from the corner of his eye. “What?” He asked, seeing the way Quil jumped in surprise at having been caught.

Quil shuffled on the stool and cleared his throat. “I don’t know, it’s just strange.” Sam raised an eyebrow. “After last night and learning the truth about my family and the legends, I still can’t believe it. It almost seems like a dream,” he admitted.

“It’s difficult to digest, I understand that, better than anyone,” Sam spoke, shifting Teddy off his hip and perching him on the breakfast bar, using his body to cage him in and to prevent him from falling off. “I was the first to phase over a year ago and when I did, I had no one. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I didn’t have a family or pack to help me through it. I spent weeks on my own until Billy, Harry and your Grandfather were able to finally sit me down and explain everything to me. But even still, I had no one to help me learn to control my abilities, I had to do it all on my own. Jared was next to phase and Paul followed not long after. I finally had a pack, someone that understood what I was going through and I used everything I had learned to help them better understand themselves and what they were capable of. And then Hermione and Teddy arrived.” He turned his eyes to the little boy, happily munching away on another sausage and he chuckled as Teddy grinned up at him.

“Hermione and Teddy are the glue that binds this pack together. They are everything we need in order to live to our potential, they are everything we need to keep us together as a family. We were a pack before they arrived but something was missing and we all knew it. And it wasn’t until we met them that we understood what it was. Despite being brothers, we didn’t feel that, we felt empty and hollow, as if something was missing. Be grateful that you never have to experience what pack life was like before they came to us.”

Both Jacob and Quil shifted on their stools.

“I don’t understand how Teddy can help me,” Quil spoke and Jacob snorted.

“Neither did I at first, but he’s a miracle worker,” Jacob spoke, reaching out to tickle Teddy and laughter peeled from him whilst Quil frowned.

Teddy turned his head to look at Quil and he lifted his arms to reach out for him. Sam shook his head before picking up Teddy and moving him over to Quil, depositing him on his lap. Both wolves noticed the way Quil seemed to relax at his proximity, even if he didn’t himself.

“You can feel it, can’t you?” Jacob said knowingly.

“Feel what?” He questioned, pulling his eyes away from Teddy, who had changed his appearance to match his, short black hair and brown eyes. Quil was adamant that he would never get used to it.

“ _It_ ,” he shrugged. “A feeling of trust and love, of pack and safety. Of home.” Quil frowned slightly, the crease in his forehead giving it away. “From what I understand, we all feel it, especially Embry and us two. We turned after Hermione got here, we had both her and Teddy. Hermione explained that whilst she is our Alpha, our mother, sister and friend, Teddy is different.”

“Meaning?” Quil questioned, his mouth twitching into a smile when Teddy offered him a bite of his sausage before snuggling in to him, trying to wrap his small arms around Quil’s neck whilst trying to eat at the same time.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Jacob replied, a thoughtful look on his face. “He calms us; he helps us to remain in control of ourselves. He knows who and what we are to him, and his place in the pack is to remind us of what we’re protecting, of why we’re born the way we are and why we have a pack, a family, a home. We could never hurt him, you should see him when someone phases; I’ve never seen someone so happy. It’s almost like Paul when Hermione bakes him brownies,” he snorted. “I don’t know how, but with him nearby it’s easier to learn how to control our phasing.”

“And speaking of phasing, we better get started,” Sam cut in. “Let’s go.”

The three of them made their way out of the house and towards the forest with Quil carrying Teddy since he refused to let go of him. Jacob saw the twitch of his friend’s lip and knew that soon, like he had, Quil would understand the blessing that being a wolf brought him.

~000~000~000~

“What’re we doing here?” Quil asked, as he and Jacob surveyed their surroundings. They had briefly met Harry and Snape earlier that evening before they were pulled away from the house and brought to the middle of the woods.

He was ignored as the four older wolves watched worriedly as Hermione paced back and forth, muttering to herself, tugging at her hair and scratching at her skin. Both he and Jacob shared confused looks.

“Hermione!” They both exclaimed and they covered their eyes and turned around when Hermione began to strip out of her clothing.

“Stop being idiots!” She grouched. “You can bloody well turn around.”

They both hesitantly did as she said and they sighed when they saw her wearing a pair of pyjama shorts and a vest top, as she paced back and forth in bare feet.

“You should both phase now,” Sam spoke, but his sole attention was on Hermione.

“Why?” They both questioned.

“Just do it!” The other three wolves snapped, much to their surprise.

Quil and Jacob shared looks before Jacob quickly phased into his large wolf, the russet colour of his fur helping him to blend in with the darkness of the woods.

“What’re you waiting for?” Jared asked, his eyes moving between Quil and Hermione.

“I can’t do it,” he sighed.

“You can, we spent all day helping you,” Sam spoke, but still his eyes did not move from Hermione.

“I need Teddy,” he admitted. Just like Jacob had said, it hadn’t taken him long to understand just what Teddy’s role in the pack was.

“You won’t always have him with you,” Paul pointed out. “He helped you to clear your mind and focus, he helped you to better understand what you need to do. Now you have to do it without him. He gave you the tools, now use them.”

Quil frowned before turning his eyes to Jacob, seeing the large wolf stood in his place. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, doing his best to remember the way he felt when Teddy had been with him, helping him to focus and to remain calm.

When he opened his eyes he was surprised to see himself looking down on the others, still in their human forms. And before he could even think to celebrate, a piercing scream tore from the back of Hermione’s throat and she collapsed on the floor.

Jacob and Quil stared horrified as the four other wolves' faces contorted in pain, before they all phased, surrounding Hermione in a circle and leaving spaces for them to fill, and they did exactly that when instructed to do so by Jared.

Their attention went between Hermione who was writhing around on the floor and screaming as her body seemed to break and reform itself, and between Jared who was explaining through the mind link what they had to do once it was over.

One last scream tore from Hermione and before their eyes, a large wolf stood up and threw its head back, howling loudly to the moon in the sky. The full moon. Suddenly everything clicked into place. Hermione was not only their Alpha, not only was she a witch, but she was a werewolf, too.

They snapped out of their surprise and lowered themselves onto the ground, offering their necks to the werewolf in an act of submission. She gently bit their necks before turning and barrelling straight into Sam, knocking him off his feet and onto the ground where she rubbed herself against him and made yipping noises.

 _‘I hope you got plenty of sleep last night,’_ Embry spoke up.

The newest wolves turned their eyes to him, dragging them away from the werewolf that was happily chasing Paul and Jared.

 _‘She’s a werewolf,’_ they both said dumbly.

Embry snorted. _‘Awesome, right?’_ He thought amusedly. _‘In about an hour, Paul and Jared will start patrols and I’ll be going with them. You’ll both be staying here with Sam. Hermione’s going to wear you out. She won’t hurt you and don’t worry about hurting her, she’s a lot tougher than we realised. In a few hours, she’ll fall asleep and she won’t wake until she changes back.’_

 _‘She’s a werewolf,’_ they both repeated, hearing the bellowing laughter down the mind link and the amused and teasing comments from Paul and Jared.

~000~000~000~

**Wednesday 15th March 2006**

“You’re a werewolf,” Jacob spoke dumbly, staring at Hermione when she came down the stairs that evening and sat at the dining table, smiling in thanks when Paul handed her a plate they had put aside for her before they all took their own helpings.

“I am,” she replied, looking a little tired but completely fine.

“You’re a werewolf,” Quil said, also staring at her dumbly while Teddy busied himself with tugging at his hair whilst he was perched on his lap.

“I am,” she repeated and the others snorted.

“So everything that happened yesterday...”

“Was a result of the full moon,” she nodded. “And as you have now witnessed, I’m very temperamental on the day of the full moon. Just like you, my senses are stronger than a human’s but it’s nowhere near the level of yours. The day of the full moon, in particular, is when my senses are most sensitive, hence my aversion to light, sound and smell. I lock myself away in my lab for your safety.”

They both frowned slightly. “How do we help you?” Jacob asked her, looking worried.

She smiled at him. “Follow the boys lead and you’ll soon be naturals at dealing with a temperamental werewolf.”

“They wouldn’t let us see you,” Quil spoke, sending a glare to the others and they shrugged in reply.

“That was for you safety,” she explained. “Once I’ve gone through my transformation, I need time for my body to heal and I need plenty of rest. I have a routine that I must follow and if that is interrupted, well, it won’t be pretty,” she said sheepishly, whilst the others shivered, knowing fine well what she had done in the past thanks to Harry and Snape. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” she said softly, “But I promise you, when I’m resting I’m fine. I have Sam with me, helping to speed up my healing process and once I’ve eaten and rested, I’m completely fine until the full moon comes around the following month.”

“So, you’re not hurt?”

“I’m fine, I promise.”

Everyone saw their entire bodies relax and it was then that they finally dug into the food.

~000~000~000~

**Saturday 18th March 2006**

Hermione sat on the porch steps with a mug of tea in her hand and a large smile on her face, watching as her pack ran about the beach and played soccer. They taunted and teased each other, and laughed and shoved each other, whilst Teddy was giggling and running between them, latching himself around one of the boys’ legs, stopping them from kicking the ball before running when said boy leaned down to tickle him, and then he would latch onto someone else’s leg.

Hermione laughed loudly when Teddy swooped down and picked up the ball, running off with it in the opposite direction. The pack laughed loudly as they chased after him and Teddy darted between them on unsteady feet, squealing and giggling as he did so.

Jacob caught up with him before picking him up and tickling him and Teddy’s squeals grew louder and he dropped the ball as he wriggled in Jacob’s hold. Paul came up to Jacob and swiped Teddy from him before handing him off to a laughing Embry and Paul got Jacob in a headlock as revenge for _attacking_ his favourite member of the pack.

Hermione laughed to herself and shook her head, sighing happily as she took a sip from her mug and leaned back against the stairs. Her attention was drawn away from the pack when she caught sight of a figure in the distance and it was quickly making its way towards the pack.

As it drew closer Hermione knew exactly who it was, despite her never meeting her before. Bella Swan. Bella Swan that had caused her Jacob so much trouble and heartache. Bella Swan that had caused her Jacob to doubt himself. Bella Swan, who she wanted to rip to shreds with her teeth on the night of the full moon for all she had done to Jacob.

She felt a growl rumble deep within her chest and the mug in her hand shattered, the hot liquid splashing against her skin and the broken pieces falling to the floor, leaving her holding the handle.

She barely gave it a second glance, despite being surprised at her own show of strength. She’d never shattered a mug with her hands before. Hermione stood and made her way over to her pack, trying to beat Bella Swan to them, but she had a head start.

She felt another growl rip from her throat as she caught sight of her, too close to the pack for her liking. Hermione quickened her steps, all but running in hopes of reaching her pack before Bella Swan. She had to get to them; her instincts burning within her and telling her to protect them and to keep them safe.

Just as Hermione had almost reached them, Bella’s hand came up and slapped Paul across the face. All laughter and teasing stopped instantly and Sam pushed Embry behind him since he had Teddy in his arms. Teddy who was now crying and screaming and trying to reach out for Paul.

Paul had released Jacob from his hold and was stood, his body shaking uncontrollably and they all knew what was going to happen. Not even Hermione would be able to stop it.

Before their eyes, Jacob pushed Bella aside, sending her flying to the ground as the clothes ripped from Paul’s body, leaving a dark silver wolf snarling and growling loudly in his place.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 14

**Saturday 18th March 2006**

Hermione’s feet pounded against the sand, her mind clouded with fury and the need to protect her pack from the threat that was Bella Swan. She could hear Teddy screaming, the sounds heartbreaking and ringing in her ears. She could hear Sam barking off orders to the rest of the pack and she could hear the pounding heartbeat that belonged to Bella Swan.

She was sprawled on the ground, staring with wide eyes and her mouth open and whimpers of pain left her, having broken her hand when she’d slapped Paul.

Unable to stop her need to protect her pack, a feral growl ripped from the back of Hermione’s throat and Bella’s eyes moved over to her, a scream being torn from her lips upon seeing Hermione’s furious expression and her glowing amber eyes. Hermione leapt forward, landing smoothly on her feet in a crouch beside Bella, her hand wrapped around Bella’s throat and squeezing tightly as she bared her teeth and snarled at her.

Almost as soon as that had happened, she felt strong arms wrapping around her, pinning her arms against her body and she was pulled away from Bella and held tightly against someone’s chest.

Her wolf had taken over and she was unable to control herself or think rationally; to think as a human. She growled and snarled and struggled against her capturer furiously, trying to break free so she could finish Bella Swan off once and for all. Only when the threat had been eliminated would her wolf retreat and allow her control once more.

“Shit!” Sam cursed in surprise, and despite his superior strength, he was struggling to keep Hermione detained. He’d never seen her so... Vicious, so feral. It wasn’t Hermione, it was the wolf. “Jared, hurry up!” He called, grunting when Hermione’s elbow connected with his ribs.

Jared came barrelling out of the house and he appeared beside him, shuffling several potion vials in his hands. He stepped in front of her Hermione and without warning he took a hold of her chin, ignoring her terrifying snarls and growls, and he tipped her head back, pouring the Calming Draught down her throat.

He forced her mouth to close and pinched her nose, cutting off her air supply. She’d only be able to breathe if she swallowed the potion and opened her mouth and it didn’t take long for her to do so.

Jared stepped back, looking relieved when all of the fight suddenly left her and she slumped against Sam’s tight hold.

“Thank God,” he sighed. “I thought she was going to kill her.”

“She was,” Sam muttered.

Just as Sam loosened his hold on Hermione, she took him by surprise when she opened her amber coloured eyes and sprung free, knocking him off balance and he fell to the ground. Jared had to dive off to the side to avoid her slamming into him and before she could return to Bella, who was now sitting up and staring at her in disbelief and fear, Jacob was able to wrestle her into his hold long enough for Jared to force a second Calming Draught down her throat.

Jacob kept his hold on her tight as she slumped against him and he Jared leaned over slightly, letting out a huge breath of relief whilst Sam brushed the sand off himself and eyed Hermione carefully, waiting to see if the potion had worked.

“I think we need to revisit that debate we had about who’d win in a fight, werewolves and shape-shifters,” Jared said, his breathing a little heavier than usual, and despite the situation, the others snorted at him and nodded their heads in agreement.

“Why didn’t it work the first time?” Embry spoke up, not looking surprised by the fact Hermione had tried to kill Bella, rather his attention was on trying to settle the still screaming toddler in his arms. Teddy was inconsolable.

“It probably has something to do with her wolf,” Jared answered, placing the empty potion vials on the ground and running a hand through his hair before he slipped both hands into his pockets. “That wasn’t Hermione, it was the wolf. Given what we know, her feelings on Bella and her instincts to protect the pack, her wolf would see Bella as a threat and when she hit Paul, her wolf took control of her actions. It can happen, I’ve read about it in one of her books. The wolf will stop at nothing to eliminate the threat to its pack, which is why one Calming Draught didn’t work. I’m not entirely sure the second has yet.”

Their eyes all darted to Bella, seeing that she seemed to have gone into a state of shock before they turned to look at Hermione. She still had her eyes closed, her head was tilted to the side leaning against Jacob’s chest and her arms were still pinned to her side.

“Hermione?” Sam spoke, his voice was calm but cautious.

They all held their breath when she lifted her head and her eyes opened, revealing the amber orbs glowing steadily. When she didn’t struggle or make a move to break free Sam nodded to Jacob, letting him know he should release Hermione. Jacob did so slowly in case he had to quickly restrain her again.

Hermione took in a deep breath, her hands clenched into fists and her eyes screwed shut tightly as Teddy’s scream continued to fill her ears, as well as Embry’s soft words and mumbles as he tried to calm him down but Hermione knew it was useless, there was only one thing that was going to calm him down. She opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings, seeing that Paul was nowhere to be seen and neither was Quil, and she put two and two together. Not only had Paul phased, but Quil had likely, too, just as Embry had when Jacob discovered the secret of the pack.

Her eyes darted to Bella and when her gaze locked on her, Bella made a pathetic whimpering sound before shuffling backwards as Hermione stepped forward, but a hand encircled her wrist. She looked behind her to see Jacob giving her a pleading look, her gaze didn’t waver and he lowered his head in submission, releasing her wrist.

Hermione slowly stalked towards Bella, feeling the eyes of her pack watching her very carefully should they have to intervene, but now that Jared had forced two Calming Draughts down her throat, her wolf had retreated to the shadows allowing her to deal with things her way, though that didn’t mean it wasn’t watching from the sidelines and giving her nudges of encouragement to kill Bella.

Hermione crouched down in front of Bella and her eyes scanned her face, finally being able to put a face to the person who had caused Jacob so much pain and trouble. Bella’s hair was brown and messy, as if she hadn’t brushed it that morning. Her eyes were a dull brown and blown wide with fear, confusion and surprise. She had pale skin, but it looked sickly and she was shorter than her but not by much. Hermione couldn’t help notice there was nothing remarkable about her, she looked average, like she could easily be lost in a crowd and she disliked the girl all the more. If she were a stunning beauty like Ginny or an ethereal beauty like Luna, then she’d understand why Jacob allowed her to have power over him. Even if Jacob had imprinted on her, she could understand, but he hadn’t. Bella Swan was an average looking girl with a horrible personality, and Hermione hated her all the more because Jacob could do so much better and he deserved so much better.

She heard the pack shuffling behind her, drawing her out of her thoughts. She lifted a hand and grasped Bella’s chin with her fingers, not hurting her but applying enough pressure that she couldn’t pull back from her. Her amber eyes shone brightly and locked onto Bella.

“If you ever harm a member of my pack again, there will be nothing on earth that can stop me from killing you,” she spoke softly, as you would to an upset or frightened child. Bella’s breathing hitched and her heartbeat sped up. “Not my pack, not Jacob and certainly not that parasitic icebox you’re so foolishly fond of.”

Bella gasped and Hermione heard snorts from behind her.

“And if you ever do so when my Godson is nearby, I will make sure there is nothing left of you to be found.” Bella flinched away from her. “I will expect you to apologise to Paul when he returns and if he is unable and unwilling to accept your apology, you’ll feel what I’d do to you for a week. So you better be very convincing.”

Hermione then released Bella’s chin and stood up, making her way over to Embry and she took her screaming Godson from him. Teddy’s hair had long since lost his natural blonde colour and was now a bright red colour, indicating his mood. She heard Bella’s mutters and mumbles at seeing Teddy, before she left and made her way to the house.

“Where are you going?” Embry called after her.

“We need to clean up this mess; we can’t trust her with our secrets,” she replied.

“Hermione, isn’t there something you can do for her hand?” Jacob asked and when she looked over her shoulder, it was to see Jacob hovering close to Bella but not interacting with her.

“Yes,” she replied, but she continued walking away.

“Are you going to?”

“No!”

Jacob sighed and the others sniggered at her.

“Fair enough,” he replied, knowing that since Bella had harmed Paul and Hermione didn’t like her, she would never heal her hand or reduce the pain she felt, so Bella would have to suffer.

She was gone only a few minutes before she appeared at their sides, the amber from her eyes had retreated leaving chocolate brown and Teddy had calmed a little but he was still crying. She caught sight of Paul and Quil making their way out of the tree line and over to them. When Paul was close enough to her, she pulled him into a hug, being careful not squash Teddy between.

“I’m fine, Hermione, it didn’t even hurt,” he muttered.

“I don’t care,” she replied, pulling back from him but Teddy had wrapped himself around Paul and he had to take Teddy from her as he wouldn’t let go and she’d almost dropped him.

Hermione felt her heart break at the way Teddy clung to him, his little arms wrapped around Paul’s neck and his head buried against his shoulder, his cries slowly dying down now that he knew Paul was fine and no longer in danger.

“Little guy’s really worked up,” he commented with a frown, tilting his head slightly to see Teddy’s red hair changing until it matched his own dark brown colouring.

“What do you expect when you’re assaulted in front of him?” She replied, her eyes moving over to Bella, who was sat quietly and cradling her hand, looking as though she might run away at any moment. “Her father’s a policeman, right?”

Jacob nodded with a slight frown, wondering what her thought process was. “Chief of Police,” he answered.

“Hmmm, I wonder what he’d say when I have charges brought against his daughter for assaulting an innocent bystander, whilst also trespassing on another’s private property.”

Bella’s eyes widened and Jacob sighed. “Hermione,” he scolded.

She shrugged and then turned her eyes to Quil. “You alright?” She asked him softly.

He nodded. “Yeah, I don’t know why I phased; I wasn’t even the one that had been slapped.”

“It’s your pack instinct, when Paul was harmed in front of you and with Teddy being nearby as well, your instincts kicked in, telling you to protect the pack from the threat at hand. You shouldn’t feel bad; you’re doing remarkably well considering you haven’t been with us long.”

He smiled shyly at her words and shuffled on his feet, making the others snort at him. And now that the pack was back together and Teddy had calmed down, she turned back to Bella, moving until she was crouching beside her again. She removed a potions vial from her pocket and removed the stopper.

“Open your mouth,” she instructed.

Bella seemed to stutter until she found her voice. “W-why?”

“Just do it, it’ll be far less pleasant should I have to do this forcefully.”

Those words seemed to give Bella the nudge to open her mouth and Hermione tipped several drops of the potion into Bella’s mouth and she swallowed without being told to. Within seconds Bella collapsed on the floor, sprawled out on her back and not moving.

“Hermione?”

“Oh calm down, Jacob,” she rolled her eyes. “I haven’t killed her, she’s just sleeping. I need to wipe her memories of everything she’s seen or heard regarding the pack and our secrets.”

“But...”

“No,” Sam’s deep voice rumbled and Jacob didn’t try to argue further, instead, he sighed and looked down at the ground in submission when Sam pinned him with a dark look.

“The human mind is a complex and fragile thing, it’s a lot easier for a person’s memories to be altered when they’re asleep and this way, if I accidentally kill her, it’ll be painless,” Hermione spoke.

“Hermione!” Jacob chided and the others snorted at the innocent smile she gave him in response.

Hermione shuffled until she was on the ground on her knees and she leaned back to sit on her legs, with her wand pressed against Bella’s temple, she slipped into the sleeping girl’s mind only to slam straight into a brick wall. She pulled back in surprise before she narrowed her eyes and re-entered Bella’s mind, gently nudging at the brick wall and getting a feel of what she was dealing with.

It was almost as if Bella was practising occlumency but Hermione knew it to be impossible with Bella being human and non-magical. And judging by the fact that her mind was still protected whilst Bella was asleep, it gave her a sense of just how strong the shields protecting Bella’s mind were. She needed to see if she could break down the wall and so she pulled back only to ram into the brick wall, creating a pounding in Hermione’s head.

She repeated the process a few more times until Bella whimpered in her sleep and Hermione pulled out of her mind and winced, bringing both hands up to cradle her head and she shut her eyes tightly, trying to fight off the dizziness and nausea that rushed through her. Hands on her shoulders and soft mutterings in her ear brought her back into focus and she shook off the impending headache. When she lifted her head, Sam’s worried frown was the first thing she saw.

“I’m okay,” she told him, rubbing at her temples with a frown of her own.

“What happened?” Jacob asked her, his eyes darting between Hermione and the still sleeping Bella.

“I can’t do it,” Hermione said, confusion laced in her tone as her own eyes looked to Bella in surprise. “I can’t wipe her memories, I can’t even get into her mind. For some reason I can’t explain, she’s got mental shields wrapped firmly around her mind which has prevented me from getting anywhere near her thoughts, let alone her memories. If she were a witch, I’d say she was practising occlumency but given she’s a non-magical human, I don’t know what it is. It’s almost as if she’s mastered the art of occlumency seeing as I can’t even bypass her mental barriers when she’s asleep and that’s when the mind is the most defenceless. Believe me, I tried, and I hurt the both of us in the process of trying to do so,” she said, still rubbing at her temples.

“If you can’t wipe her memories, what are we going to do?” Jared asked, eyeing Bella with dislike and caution.

Hermione bit her lip in thought, her mind trying to think of a solution to their problem as well as to why Bella’s mind couldn’t be accessed.

“Well, if we can’t make her forget, I suppose we better make sure she can’t tell anyone what she’s learned today.”

“And how are we going to do that?”

Hermione’s brow furrowed in concentration as she lifted her wand and pressed it against Bella’s throat lightly, before muttering under her breath. A soft glow settled itself above Bella before it formed into a small ball that floated up to Bella’s mouth and slipped through her parted lips. When Bella gasped lightly Hermione pulled back and slipped her wand into her pocket, and then she stood up.

“I’ve jinxed her,” she explained. “She’ll never be able to speak of or write about anything she’s seen or learned to anyone that is not a member of the pack. The jinx I used is a particularly strong one, if she tries to speak of anything regarding the pack, well, it won’t be pleasant, but it won’t kill her either,” she added to appease Jacob. “She should wake in less than fifteen minutes.”

She walked away from Bella and over to Paul, who was still comforting a sniffling Teddy.

“I think it’s nap time, don’t you, Teddy Bear?” She said softly.

Teddy lifted his head from Paul’s shoulder and shook his head vigorously, causing the others to chuckle at him.

“No?” She questioned with a smile.

“No, me wan’ apple,” the toddler spoke.

“Are you hungry?” She asked, Teddy nodded without thought and they all laughed at him. “You are so much like your Uncles,” she said fondly. “Come on them, I suppose it’s snack time. I made brownies.”

“I love brownies,” Paul commented happily.

“And me,” Teddy spoke.

Paul beamed at him and he held his hand up, which Teddy quickly high-fived and Paul faked injury, sending Teddy into a fit of giggles.

Hermione shook her head before making her way back to the house, hearing the footsteps of the rest of the pack behind her. She climbed the stairs to the house and looked over her shoulder, seeing that Jacob was behind her and carrying Bella.

“She’s not getting anywhere near my house,” she told him.

“What am I supposed to do with her, Hermione?” He frowned.

She shrugged. “Throw her in the sea.”

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to lock eyes with the one responsible, getting locked in Sam’s gaze. He looked amused by her response but shook his head lightly. She sighed before pulling her wand, summoning one of the kitchen stools and then transfiguring it into a sun lounger.

“I mean it, Jacob, she is to never set foot in this house. I’ll kill her if she does.” Hermione said, before walking into the house whilst the rest of the pack settled themselves on the stairs or climbed up onto the porch railing.

Hermione reappeared with chairs and a small table floating behind her before they settled themselves on the sand, which the pack promptly filled. With a flick of her wand, the table filled with a tray of brownies, sandwiches and sodas, and a small plate appeared with some cut up apple slices, a yoghurt pot, a smaller sandwich cut up and a small children’s cup with pumpkin juice.

Hermione tried to take Teddy from Paul so he could eat but Teddy refused to leave his side, throwing a little temper tantrum in the process.

“When’s his birthday again?” Embry asked, eyeing the red hair of the toddler and the scowl on his face as Hermione sighed and sat back in her chair, giving up on trying to take him from Paul.

“April 5th, and as you can see, we’re already approaching the terrible two’s, he’s certainly got the temper tantrums down,” she answered and they snorted at her.

Paul shifted Teddy on his lap before handing him a piece of his sandwich and he ate his own, Teddy watching Paul and copying his movements. Every time Paul took a bite, Teddy did, too. Every time Paul shifted in his seat, Teddy shifted on his lap. Every time Paul reached out for his soda can, Teddy reached out for his cup, much to the amusement of the others.

Their attention was drawn by a pained groan before Bella slowly pushed herself up on the lounger and her eyes took in her surroundings in confusion, before they landed on the pack, more specifically Hermione. Her eyes widened and a fear-stricken look crossed her face.

“I’m not going to harm you,” Hermione said calmly, picking up her own drink and watching Bella over the top of the can as she took a sip of the fizzy liquid.

“How are you feeling?” Jacob asked Bella, but he didn’t make a move to rise from his seat and leave the table, in fact, he picked up another sandwich and leaned further back into his seat.

“My hand feels funny,” she commented, looking down at it.

Jacob’s eyes shot to Hermione questioningly but she wasn’t going to tell him she’d slipped Bella a few drops of a mild Pain Potion when she’d given her the Sleeping Draught, she didn’t want him to think she liked her. She’d only done it for Jacob’s sake, not because she actually wanted to help the girl.

“That happens when you assault someone with superior strength, and it serves you right, especially as there was nothing warranting that behaviour,” Hermione said, looking at Bella pointedly.

Bella looked down at the ground and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry for hitting you,” she muttered.

“That was pathetic,” Hermione deadpanned.

Bella’s heartbeat sped up and she slowly lifted her head, looking to Hermione and then to Paul, who looked more amused with the situation than he did angry.

“I’m sorry for hitting you, you didn’t deserve it and I shouldn’t have done it.”

Paul shrugged, picked up a brownie and then sat back in his seat and Teddy did the same, making the others snigger, especially when the toddler looked as though he was contemplating throwing his brownie at Bella.

“We don’t throw food, Teddy,” Hermione told him. The toddler scowled at her before shoving the brownie in his mouth, the others’ sniggers growing louder.

“Do you accept my apology?” Bella asked quietly, her eyes darting between Paul, Teddy and Hermione.

An amused smirk found its way onto Paul’s face and he arched an eyebrow at Hermione questioningly, knowing she’d likely said something to Bella whilst he’d been gone, but she kept her face passive.

“I suppose so, I don’t think you meant what you actually said, but if I don’t I’m sure Hermione will do something awful to you. I think you’ve learned your lesson to never hit one of us, you’re more than likely to injure yourself than you are us,” he shrugged.

Hermione watched the way Bella’s shoulders slumped in relief before she stood from her chair and excused herself to use the bathroom. When she returned, Jacob was offering a plate of food to Bella, Hermione had heard her stomach growling from the kitchen. As she made her way back to her seat, she walked past Jacob and Bella before taking the two brownies off the plate, leaving Bella with the sandwiches.

“She doesn’t deserve brownies,” she said childishly before putting them back on the tray on the table and taking her seat whilst the others sniggered at her behaviour. Jacob just rolled his eyes at her and perched himself on the end of the lounger.

A frown set on Teddy’s face and he wiggled on Paul’s lap.

“Down,” he said.

“What do you say, Teddy?” Hermione said.

“Down, pwease,” he corrected.

“Good boy,” she praised as Paul lifted him off his lap and placed him on the ground.

Teddy ran over to Jacob and wrapped himself around Jacob’s leg, before Jacob picked him up and sat him on his knee. Jacob was taken by surprise when Teddy turned in his hold and latched himself onto him, wrapping his arms around his neck and tucking his head against Jacob’s shoulder.

“What’s the matter, Teddy?” Jacob asked the toddler softly.

Teddy pulled his head back and everyone could see the scowl on his face as he looked to Bella, who leaned back slightly in surprise.

“Bad lady,” he said, removing his arm from around his neck to point at Bella.

Jacob frowned. “She’s not a bad lady,” he said.

Teddy shook his head. “Bery bad lady,” he repeated. “Bad lady hurt Ball!”

Jacob sighed. “Yeah, you’re right, Buddy, she did and she’s not going to do it again. I promise.”

Teddy didn’t look convinced but he snuggled back into him, his eyes fixed on Bella.

“He doesn’t trust her,” Hermione spoke and Jacob lifted his gaze to her. “He understands that she’s a threat to his pack, don’t forget Jacob, he knows the ways of the pack better than all of us combined. He can spot a threat to his pack from a mile away, and he doesn’t like that you’re so close to someone who harmed someone he loves, especially when he was a witness to it.”

Jacob slowly nodded his head before standing and walking away from Bella, sitting back in his seat at the table and Jacob noticed the way Teddy relaxed in his hold and the scowl was gone from his face. Teddy reached for a brownie and not being able to reach, Quil handed him one. Teddy grinned in response and held his arms up, indicating that he now wanted to be with Quil. Jacob snorted before handing him over to Quil who was sat beside him.

“What’re you up to?” Sam muttered quietly, leaning closer to Hermione who had her gaze firmly on Bella as she slowly picked away at her sandwich.

Hermione slowly turned her head and he raised an eyebrow when a slow smirk made its way across her face and she was well aware of the other wolves listening in.

“Do you remember what I told you regarding vampires having gifts?” He nodded. “I have a feeling this battle I’ve been forewarned against has something to do with Bella Swan, and by extension the vampires she hangs around with. Sooner or later they’ll be back, don’t ask me how I know, I just have a feeling,” she spoke quietly so Bella wouldn’t be able to hear her.

“And?” Jared spoke and she turned her eyes to him, seeing the rest of the wolves looking at her, just as curious.

“And know thy enemy, Jared,” she replied. They eyed her in intrigue as she turned her gaze back to Bella, who’s eyes were flickering between the boys nervously. “So, who’d win a fight, a vampire or a giant, shape-shifting wolf?” She asked innocently and her voice no longer quiet, wanting Bella to hear.

Sam smirked at her, appreciating her intelligence and cunning.

“Us!” The entire pack chorused without hesitation, and Hermione spied the way Bella’s posture seemed to straighten.

“I think a vampire would win,” she commented.

“You’re insane if you think a parasite could defeat us,” Jared snorted.

Bella tensed. “They’re fast,” she argued.

“We’re faster,” Paul smirked.

“They’re strong!”

“We’re stronger,” Embry spoke, looking to Hermione in approval and she nodded in amusement.

“They’re smart!”

“We’re obviously smarter,” Quil needled.

“And better looking,” Paul added arrogantly. “Well, _I_ am anyway,” he said and they rolled their eyes at him.

“They’re special!” She protested.

“We turn into giant wolves at will,” Sam’s deep voice rumbled, making Bella shiver. “Face it, Swan. We’re stronger, we’re faster, we’re smarter, we’re better in every way possible, and should one of your _friends_ trespass on our land or harm a human, we’ll kill every last one of them.”

Hermione knew that Sam’s words had been the ones to finally make Bella snap, she took his hand that rested on the surface of the table and entwined her fingers through his, giving him a little smirk, which he returned.

“I’d like to see you try, you wouldn’t stand a chance against them. Not with Alice being able to see various future outcomes, or Jasper being able to feel and manipulate your emotions. And Edward, he’d know what you were thinking before you even moved, he can read the minds of anyone within a two mile radius without even trying, and he’s faster than a regular vampire and Emmet’s stronger too!” Bella argued, bravely glaring at him.

Hermione sat forward and removed her hand from Sam’s and she brought her hands together, applauding dramatically. Bella frowned in confusion as smirks pulled at the faces of the pack and they sat back in their seats, folding their arms across their chests or taking a drink from their soda cans.

“Thank you for that, Swan, you have been very helpful indeed, and now I know exactly what we’re up against,” Hermione spoke.

A horrified look crossed Bella’s face and she held a hand against her mouth, realising exactly what she’d done. She’d revealed the secrets of the Cullen’s gifts.

“I told you she couldn’t be trusted,” Hermione spoke, looking to Jacob as he frowned. “That information was very easy to wheedle out of her, she didn’t even try. And that’s why I wished to wipe her memories, luckily, I was able to prevent her from speaking of us to anyone.” She turned to look at Bella, seeing that confusion had made its way onto her face. “Well, since I was unable to access your mind, I’m going to go out on a limb and say your precious boyfriend is unable to do the same. So, I think it’s best that you know exactly who you’re dealing with.”

Hermione’s wand appeared in her hand and she flicked it towards a stray twig that lay on the sandy ground and it burst into flames. Bella made a noise of surprise and scrambled back against the lounger. A jet of water burst from Hermione’s wand and put out the fire, and before Bella could blink, Hermione had disappeared from her seat until she reappeared in the sea, the water coming up to her knees. She then disappeared and reappeared in front of Bella, and she almost fell off the lounger in shock. Hermione waved her wand over her jeans and shoes and they dried instantly.

Bella’s eyes were wide, her mouth parted and she’d shuffled away from her.

“I’m a witch. A wand waving, spell casting, potion brewing, broomstick flying witch. I was born the way I am and there’s thousands of us hidden around the world, learning to control and practise magic and how to survive in this world and the hidden world that I belong to. And not only am I a witch, I’m a werewolf, too, a werewolf that transforms at the full moon, and all my wolf instincts are telling me to kill you, to rip your throat out with my teeth. Believe me when I say, I am not someone you wish to make an enemy of, and unfortunately for you, you already have. Not only for the way you’ve treated my Jacob horrendously, but also for harming a member of my pack without reason for doing so. I’ve used my magic on you, you’ll never be able to tell anyone anything about what you’ve seen or heard, nor will you be able to write it down. Should you try, the effects will not be pleasant. And now that I know everything I needed to, I feel I should inform you that you are not welcome here. You are trespassing on my private property and if you do not leave, I will not only have you arrested for trespassing and assault, but for threatening behaviour and stalking, too.”

Hermione’s eyes had turned amber by the time she finished her words and Bella’s heartbeat was loud and fast before she stood and looked at Jacob.

“She’s right, Bella,” Jacob sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re not welcome here, I don’t know how you found me and I don’t care, but you should’ve never come here and you should never come back either.” Bella blinked in surprise. “You should leave before Hermione keeps to her promise. Get that hand looked at, I’m fairly sure it’s broken and when I’m ready to talk to you, I’ll call you.”

Bella just stared at him and didn’t move.

Hermione levelled her wand at Bella and she registered the threat before sending one last look to Jacob, her eyes searching the pack who all looked amused, before she turned and quickly made her way away from the house and back down the beach until she was out of sight.

Paul clapped loudly and the others cheered and whistled and she snorted at them all, before pocketing her wand. Sam stood up and walked over to her, picking her up in a hug and spinning her in circles. She laughed and gripped him tighter for fear of him dropping her, despite knowing he wouldn’t.

“You never cease to amaze me,” he said with a laugh.

“Good, I’ve got to keep you on your toes,” she replied.

He laughed loudly. “Witch, you do more than keep me on my toes. I barely restrained myself from asking you to marry me then and there.”

“Okay,” she shrugged lightly.

Sam promptly put her back on her feet and pulled away from her, staring at her in surprise. And she was more than aware of the silence that fell over the pack and she could feel their eyes on her. too.

“What?” He questioned quietly.

“I said ‘okay’,” she answered with a smile.

“Okay to what?”

“Okay, I’ll marry you.”

“What?” He said dumbly.

“I said ‘okay, I’ll marry you’,” she repeated.

He seemed to have gone into shock. Not blinking. Not moving. Not breathing. And then she was being pulled into a tight hug and she heard the cheers and teasing from the pack.

“Well, shit! If I’d known I would’ve made sure I had a ring ready and that I planned the proposal out properly,” he said with his head buried in her neck.

“Why? What’s more perfect than it being done in the heat of the moment and in front of our pack, too? And what’s wrong with the ring you gave me for Christmas? I love it.”

“Shit, Hermione!” He breathed out. “You sure know how to knock a guy off his feet. Are you sure you want this? Are you ready?”

“I’m ready and I want this,” she confirmed, smiling when he pulled back from her so he could kiss her until she was breathless.

They parted to the laughs, cheers and teasing from the pack as they stood from their seats to hug and congratulate them, even though Paul had said they’d seen it coming for months. Hermione rolled her eyes and chuckled at him, accepting his tight hug.

Sam stole her back from the pack for a few minutes wanting to speak to her privately, but neither of them saw the point in moving away from them as they would be able to hear them anyway, and Sam didn’t see the point in asking her to place a Silencing Charm around them either, knowing the pack would learn of what he wished to speak to her about afterwards anyway.

“What is it?” She asked him, a large smile on her face and her eyes shining. She radiated happiness and love, and Sam loved seeing it.

“I want to adopt Teddy, too,” he spoke.

“I’m sorry?” She blinked slowly in surprise.

“I want to adopt Teddy, too, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now but I never knew how to broach the subject, and now seems to be as good a time as any.”

“Why do you want to?”

He frowned slightly. “Why wouldn’t I? I love that kid as if he were my own, I love him as much as I love you,” he admitted. “I know I’m not his father, but I know what it’s like growing up without one and Teddy shouldn’t have to experience that. I want to be able to be there for him whenever he needs me to be.”

Hermione’s eyes started watering and she forced back the tears. “You really want to adopt him? It’s not just because of me?”

“My wanting to adopt him has nothing to do with you, and I want to adopt him as much as I want to marry you. And this way, we’ve got our bases covered. If your werewolf status was to ever get out and be made known to the public, no one would be able to take Teddy away from you as I would have parental guardianship over him, too.”

Tears flooded from her eyes and she laughed as she wiped them away with the backs of her hands.

“Okay, I’ll floo Kingsley on Monday and get him to sort out the paperwork for both the Wizarding and Muggle Worlds. The paperwork will be fast-tracked to approval and you’ll legally be his guardian no later than Tuesday.”

He grinned at her and pulled her back into a hug before they retook their seats at the table, Sam being good-naturedly shoved and having his hair ruffled by pack and Hermione laughing as Paul placed an overdramatic kiss to her cheek as he flung his arm around her shoulders.

“Me wan’ Daddy.”

All laughter and talk stopped immediately and all eyes turned to Teddy who was perched on Quil’s lap.

“What?” Hermione whispered.

“Me wan’ Daddy,” Teddy spoke again.

“Oh no, it’s started,” she said quietly, feeling tears of sadness creeping up into her eyes. “How am I supposed to tell him about Remus?”

Paul gave her a comforting squeeze as Hermione looked down, but her eyes suddenly shot up and widened and her breath left her at Teddy’s next actions.

“Me wan’ Daddy,” he repeated, but this time he lifted his arm and pointed directly as Sam. Sam’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Daddy,” he said still pointing to Sam. “Mummy,” he said, moving until he was pointing directly at Hermione.

Sobs broke free and Hermione cried loudly and uncontrollably feeling her entire heart melting and pooling with so much love, she thought she might burst. Quil set Teddy on the table and he walked across the surface until he was stood on Sam’s lap and he wrapped himself around Sam and hugged him tightly.

When Hermione looked at the sight in front of her, Sam looked to be on the verge of tears himself. Sam’s eyes locked with hers and understanding passed between them. With both of them as Teddy’s guardians, he’d never know what it would be like to live without a mother or father.

Teddy pulled back from Sam and pinned him with a rather serious gaze for an almost-two-year-old.

“S...Sam, Daddy. Mia, Mummy,” he said confidently.

Hermione’s tears didn’t stop falling as she leaned over to be closer to Teddy and Sam and Sam wrapped his arm around her, placing a kiss to her forehead as Teddy shuffled in his hold until he had one arm around Hermione and the other around Sam, hugging them both, whilst the pack watched the scene with soft and fond smiles.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 11

**Saturday 18th March 2006**

It was later that night when Hermione and Sam found themselves in bed and snuggled as close to each other as possible whilst Teddy laid between them, his chest rising and falling evenly, his mouth open slightly, one arm holding his favourite dragon teddy to him and the other thrown out to the side and gripping Hermione’s t-shirt in his hand.

Sam and Hermione were both laid on either side of him, facing each other and watching the sleeping toddler with soft, loving expressions. Teddy made a noise in his sleep and shifted his body slightly, a chuckle escaping from Sam when Teddy’s foot kicked out and made contact with his stomach.

He lifted his hand to Teddy’s face, pushing his blonde hair back from his eyes and then moving until his hand held Hermione’s lightly, seeing happy tears swimming in her eyes. She’d cried for several hours that afternoon and he didn’t think she had any more tears left to cry, apparently he was wrong. 

She gave him a watery smile and a chuckle, words not needing to be said between them.

“We’re getting married,” he muttered, a smile pulling at his mouth.

“We’re getting married,” she parroted, her smile widening, lighting up her entire face. Sam didn’t think there was anyone more beautiful than Hermione, even if he was biased. “I think we should wait until after all the mess is over with and we no longer have to worry about Alean’s warning, and given that my magic seems to be on edge lately, I don’t think we have much longer to wait.”

“Whatever you think is best,” he replied. “You’re in charge, whatever you want.”

“We can have the wedding soon after, it won’t take long for me to plan it. Not if we keep it simple.”

“Simple?”

“Yes, simple. I don’t particularly want to cater my own wedding but it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone, saying that, Mrs. Weasley will probably _demand_ that she be the one to do it. Venue, do you have anywhere in particular in mind?” He shook his head, indicating he didn’t really mind where they got married. “I was thinking the beach. It wouldn’t cost anything to rent it, there’s plenty of space and we can easily ward against bad weather should we need to. It’s also close to our home, where we keep our pack safe and happy and where we’re living our lives together. We don’t have to worry about someone stumbling upon us and seeing all the strange things that will happen, as everyone tends to avoid this part of the beach anyway. This is home to us, we’re comfortable here. And I like the idea of a beach wedding, it means I don’t have to wear ridiculous shoes that I’ll break my neck wearing.”

He chuckled at her, running his thumb over her knuckles in a way that made her sleepy.

“Invitations won’t take too long to make up and send out with the aid of magic, flowers will probably be a bit of a pain to make a decision on, as will music, but I can probably get it all done in a matter of days. I’m not too fussed on the ceremony, I’d happily just sign a marriage certificate in the back of a little room somewhere if I thought the others wouldn’t put up a fight.”

“They do love an excuse for a party,” he mused, thinking about the older wolves who loved to get into Hermione’s fire whiskey as often as possible, especially since it seemed to be the only alcohol that could actually fight off their immune system and get them drunk, at least for a short while.

“I would hate to take that away from them,” she shook her head lightly in amusement. “There shouldn’t be too many guests, between Harry, the Weasleys, a few professors from Hogwarts, the pack and the Council, we’re looking at no more than fifty or so guests.”

“Perfect,” he agreed, reaching over to place a kiss to her forehead and being mindful to not hurt the sleeping toddler in-between them. She smiled at him and her eyes closed before a frown pulled at her face. “What is it?” He asked, seeing the confusion on her face.

“I’m not sure,” her frown deepened. “Something’s off.”

“Jacob and Embry are patrolling, if they’d come across something they’d have let us know.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s something else.”

“Something else?” He questioned, carefully sitting up when she did the same, her head turning and her eyes moving to look out the window.

“Yes, but I’m not sure what it is. I just feel like...” She trailed off, slipping her hand from his, carefully removing Teddy’s hand from her t-shirt and she climbed out of bed.

He watched as she pulled on a pair of jeans, some socks and a pair of trainers and she walked out of the room. Sam looked to the sleeping toddler before barricading him with pillows to stop from falling off the bed, despite the fact he knew that Teddy didn’t usually wake during the night unless he was unwell, but he wasn’t risking it.

Once he’d made sure Teddy was safe, he climbed out of bed and followed after Hermione. Hearing her footsteps, he made his way down the stairs and into the living room, seeing that the door was open and he stepped out onto the porch to see Hermione sat on the steps and looking out at the sea. He frowned and moved to sit beside her, the cool air of the night not bothering him despite him only wearing his underwear.

“What’re we doing out here? You’ll freeze,” he asked her, wrapping his arm around her when she leaned into him, the heat of his body warming her through her clothes.

“I don’t know, I just need to be here.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Sam’s hearing picked up on a voice that was familiar to him.

“I think I know,” he spoke and she turned to look at him. “I can hear Billy, he’s making his way to the house but he’s talking to someone, I think he’s on his cell.”

She nodded and before he could stop her, she’d bolted from beside him and down the beach. He saw no point in following after her, he’d be able to hear if she needed him and he’d be with her in less than a minute as a giant wolf.

Hermione continued to run down the beach until she saw Billy in the darkness, trying his hardest to make his way to the house but the sand was getting stuck in the wheelchair. He let out a sigh of relief when he noticed her and she came to a stop in front of him, taking his hands in hers and crouching down after seeing the sad look on his face.

“What’s wrong? And don’t lie to me, I know something’s not right, I can _feel_ it.”

“It’s Harry,” he spoke, his voice was quiet and hurt. “He’s in the hospital.”

Hermione took a steadying breath and closed her eyes briefly, preparing herself for the worst. She knew it was bad, she just knew.

“What happened?”

“He’s been having trouble with his heart for a while. He was rushed into hospital, he’s not going to make it, they’ve given him until the morning.”

Hermione's eyes closed once more and her grip on his hands tightened as she forced back the tears.

“He wants to see you before he goes; he’s waiting for you now.”

Hermione breathed out slowly and nodded. “Thank you for telling me,” she spoke, her voice cracking slightly. “I’ll head to the hospital now, Sam’s up if you wish to stay at the house and Jacob and Embry will be returning from their patrols soon.”

He gave her a sad smile, and she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She pulled her wand and cast a spell on the wheelchair so it would repel the sand and he’d have no trouble with making his way to the house, and then she spun on her heel and apparated to the La Push Hospital.

~000~000~000~

Hermione wasted no time with heading into the small building, asking a nurse behind the desk where Harry Clearwater could be found and she quickly made her way through the halls, seeing that she received a few curious glances from doctors and nurses and visitors as she passed them.

When she found the room the door was left ajar and she knocked before pushing it open and stepping inside, seeing Seth sleeping in a chair in the corner of the room, Harry in the hospital bed and Sue sat beside the bed, her hand holding her husband’s and tears falling down her face.

Sue didn’t look surprised when she saw it was Hermione that entered, and Hermione slowly approached the bed, standing beside it on the opposite side and looking down at Harry. He looked pale, there were more tubes attached to medical equipment than she could count and he looked frail and there was no sign of the kind smile she knew he usually wore on his face.

“Thank you for coming,” Sue spoke, her voice quiet and broken.

“Nothing could keep me away,” Hermione replied softly.

Sue nodded and she held her other hand out and Hermione took the hint and moved around the bed until she was stood beside her and Sue took her hand, giving her a gentle squeeze.

“Would you mind watching over him for a moment?”

“Of course,” Hermione answered.

She stepped aside as Sue stood up and pressed a kiss to her husband’s cheek before leaving the room and Hermione took the seat she’d evacuated. Her eyes moved to the corner of the room, seeing that Seth was still asleep and would likely have an aching neck when he woke due to the awkward angle of his lolling head, and then she turned her attention back to Harry.

She moved so that her arms were on top of the covers and almost touching his hand, but she didn’t take it, not wanting to disturb him. She sat in silence for a short while before her attention was drawn when a warm hand slipped over hers and held her fingers lightly.

“Hermione?” His voice was croaked and she hated how weak he sounded. She was used to him laughing and smiling.

“Billy said you wanted to see me, so I came as soon as I found out,” she replied, her voice soft and calming.

His grip on her hand tightened and he turned his head to face her, his eyes opening and he blinked slowly until her face came into focus.

“I’ve had a good run,” he gave a smile. “But it’s my time.”

She shook her head. “I can contact a healer I know, with magic on our side we may be able to help you. Magical healing is the best in existence; it can do things even the packs’ healing can’t do.”

He shook his head lightly but then seemed to regret it as he let out a pained groan. “I can’t let you do that, you’ll get into a lot of trouble for helping me. We can’t mess with fate, it’s my time and I’ve accepted it. I wanted to talk to you about Seth.” Her eyes moved over to the sleeping teen briefly and then back to him. “He’s showing signs, Hermione. I think he’s going through the transformation. Our bloodline stems from all three pack lines. I’m worried my death will be the trigger, and I’ll know you’ll take care of him, just as you have the others. I just wanted to let you know.”

“I won’t let anything happen to him,” she promised. “He’ll always be treated with kindness and respect and he’ll always have a home with the pack.”

“Thank you, I’ve seen how you’ve changed those boys. They’ve grown into wonderful men, all of them.”

She gave him a watery smile. “They’re just afraid of me so they do what they’re told.”

He chuckled at her weakly. “Thank you, Hermione, for all you’ve done for the pack and Tribe.”

“It was my pleasure,” she replied.

“I want you to take Seth home with you.” She blinked at him. “I don’t want him here when it happens. He needs to be with someone who can calm him, and if my death does trigger his transformation, he’ll only seek you out. He needs to be with you and the pack. Will you wake him for me, please?”

Hermione nodded and released his hand before standing from the chair and moving over to Seth. She gently touched his shoulder and he bolted awake, his eyes darting about the room until they landed on her and a confused look crossed his face.

“Hermione?” He questioned.

She gave him a sad, soft smile and gestured to his father and Seth quickly stood from his chair and moved to his father’s side and Hermione left the room to give them some privacy, shutting the door behind her.

She leaned against the wall, tilting her head back and looking up at the lights hoping the brightness of it would keep her from crying. She needed to be strong; she needed to be strong for Seth. She took several slow, steady breaths and her arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to keep herself together.

“I know.”

Hermione startled at the voice and stood straight and away from the wall, looking into the watering eyes of Sue Clearwater, and confusion must’ve shown on her face because she spoke further after making sure there was no one around that would overhear them.

“I know everything, about the pack, about you and Sam, and about you being a witch.” Hermione did her best to control her surprise but failed, and it pulled a chuckled from Sue. “I am to take over for Harry,” she said, her voice quieting. “We’ve known for some time of his heart problems and when they got worse, he told me everything so I’m prepared for taking his seat on the Council. I know how good you are to those boys, and I know that you take care of them very well and they love you. And Harry explained that Seth’s going through the change and I know he’s going to have to stay with you until he learns to control it.”

Hermione nodded. “I’ll keep him safe. He’ll be well cared for and the pack will be his family. I’ll do everything I can to help him through this.”

Sue gave her a watery smile. “I know you will and I’m glad he’s going to be in good hands for the time being. As much I want him with me, he needs to be with you.”

“You may stay with us if you wish,” Hermione offered kindly. “My house is currently under construction, we’re having another floor magically added as we’ve ran out of rooms for the boys and some of them are sharing, but construction should be done before Tuesday. Until then the boys can share and you may have one of their rooms.”

“As much as I appreciate the offer, I think it’s best if I allow Seth the time he needs to process all the changes in his life, and I’m not sure I could handle that many teenage boys being under one roof.”

Hermione laughed at her. “They’re a handful, and Sam can be just as bad.” Sue shook her head. “If you don’t wish to stay with us, you may visit any time you wish to. My door will always be open, even if you just want a cup of tea or someone to talk to.”

“Thank you, I have no way to repay you for your kindness.”

“No payment necessary. I haven’t interacted much with Seth, but from what I remember from the bonfire, he’s a sweet boy and I think he’ll fit in just fine with the others. Quil’s our newest member so they’ll both being going through this at the same time, and Teddy is unlikely to leave his side.”

“Teddy?” She questioned.

“Yes, it’s difficult to explain but he has an effect on all of the boys that I don’t. He brings hope and love to the pack and he binds everyone together. He helps each new member to control their abilities, and he latches on to them to help them settle into pack life.”

Sue looked as though she were about to speak but the door opened and Seth stepped out, his eyes swimming with unshed tears and a truly heartbroken look on his face. Sue enveloped him in a hug, despite him being bigger than her and Hermione stepped back into the room to give them some privacy and to allow her to say her goodbyes to Harry.

He gave her a sad smile as she stood beside the bed and took his hand in hers.

“It was honestly a pleasure getting to know you,” Hermione spoke.

“And you, Hermione, are one of a kind and you’re going to do great things for the pack and Tribe, and I couldn’t be any prouder for what you’ve already achieved.”

“We’ll see each other again, believe me when I say there is an afterlife.” He squeezed her hand tightly. “Goodbye, Harry,” she whispered, bending down to press a kiss to his cheek and a tear fell down her face.

He gave her hand another squeeze before letting go and Hermione stepped back and made her way out of the room, but before she could Sue approached her and pulled her into a hug. Hermione heard her quiet cries and wrapped her arms around the older woman and comfortingly rubbed at her back.

“I meant it, you are welcome any time at the house,” she whispered. “And I’ll keep him safe.”

“Thank you, Dear,” she replied, pulling back from her, squeezing her hand and then stepping around her and moving back over to her husband.

Hermione had one last look over her shoulder before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her, Seth coming into her sight. He was stood against the wall with his back to her, his forehead pressed against the wall and his shoulders shook as silent tears fell down his face.

Hermione looked at him, really looked, and she could see that Seth really was going through the transformation. He’d grown remarkably since the last time she’d met him a few months ago, now he was tall like the rest of the pack, around six-foot-one. Even through his clothing, she could see he was just as muscled and strong, and his hair was long, too, meaning she’d have to give him a haircut. 

She approached him and gently touched his hand, feeling that whilst his body temperature wasn’t as hot as the others, it was still higher than normal. At her touch, he turned his head to look at her, not bothering to hide his crying from her and she felt her heart breaking. He was so young, the youngest of all the boys being only fifteen and although his body was that of a man, his face still held his boyish features.

Not saying anything to her, he curled his hand around hers much tighter and silently followed her as she led him down the corridor and towards the exit.

“Dad says I have to live with you for a bit,” he said quietly, lifting his other arm to wipe at his face with the sleeve of his jacket.

“That’s right,” she said softly. “You’ll be safe with me and the boys and well taken care of.”

“He said I’m special.”

Hermione stopped in her walking, just a few steps away from the doors leading out of the building and she looked up at him, wondering just how much he actually knew. She tugged him out of the way of an old couple and pulled him over to the wall.

“You are special, very special, and do you know why?” She asked gently.

He nodded, but still didn’t look as though he believed what he was about to stay. “He said I’m going through a transformation, like the others did. He said the legends are true and I’m becoming one of the wolves and I’ll be part of the pack.”

A soft smile appeared on her face. “Yes, that’s all true and that’s why you’re coming to stay with me. You’re going through a lot of changes in your life right now and you need to be in a safe and loving environment. You need to be with your pack. Do you know who your pack is?”

He nodded. “Dad said Sam’s the Alpha, and there’s Jared, and Paul, too. If they went through the transformation I’m going through, it makes sense as to why their behaviour changed, why they pulled away from the rest of the Tribe and why their appearance changed so quickly, too.”

“There’s more than that.” She smiled. “The pack’s a lot bigger than before I moved here. There’s also Embry, Jacob and Quil. Jacob phased a few weeks ago and Quil less than a week. You’ll be part of the pack now, too. We’re a family and we all live together in my house. You might not understand why you need the pack just yet, but once you’ve completed your transformation, everything will make sense and with the help of the pack, you’ll learn to control your abilities.”

“Okay,” he said quietly.

“Shall we get you home?”

He nodded and gripped her hand tighter as she led him out of the hospital.

“How do you fit into this?”

“That’s a long story and one I’m sure you’re going to love, but we’ll talk about that later, right now you need some sleep and I better give you a haircut, too. Trust me, once you phase you’re going to need it to stop your fur from getting matted.” She turned her head to look at him, seeing that his tears had stopped falling for the time being. “Where’s your sister?” She asked gently.

“She’s visiting our cousin; they went to New York together. Mom called her and she’s on her way back now, I just hope she gets here before...” He trailed off.

Hermione squeezed his hand as they made their way down the road but Hermione stopped when she spotted a familiar-looking car, and then she pulled Seth over to it, seeing Jared stepping out from the driver’s side as they approached. He pulled her into a hug and then clapped Seth on the shoulder as a supportive gesture.

“He knows everything, Harry told him because he’s going through the transformation,” Hermione told him.

“I can see that,” Jared nodded. “Paul’s going to have a fit, he’s already complaining about having two wolves that need training pads, if we add a third to the growing list he’ll lose his mind.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “He’ll get over it. The pack’s expanding and for the better.”

Jared shrugged before opening the door for her and she and Seth climbed into the back seat and Jared back into the driver’s side before he drove them back to the house.

“How’d you know I was here anyway?” She asked him.

“I was leaving for patrols when Sam explained what’d happened and Billy suggested that I should be here to pick you up. He must’ve known what was happening. Embry’s covering my shift with Paul. He’s staying with us, right?”

“He’s pack and we all stay together.”

Jared nodded. “I’m sharing with Paul so Seth can have my room.”

“Thank you, I’ll move your bed into Paul’s room when we get back,” she replied. “Thankfully construction will be finished on the new floor by Tuesday so everyone will once again have their own rooms. I’m just glad he knows beforehand, now we don’t have to explain everything to him,” she said, turning her head to see Seth looking out the window, his eyes fixed on a point in the distance and while he still had a hold of Hermione’s hand, he didn’t appear as though he were hearing anything they were saying.

They made the rest of the journey in silence and when they pulled up at the house, Hermione had to coax Seth out of the car and guide him to the house. His eyes finally seemed to come into focus when he looked out the house, his eyes widening slightly in surprise at just how big it was.

“It’s bigger on the inside,” Jared told him, clapping him on the shoulder as he walked past them, up the stairs and disappearing through the door.

Seth turned his head to look at her and she gave him a soft, comforting smile which seemed to calm him.

“Come on, we’ll get you a cup of tea and something to eat and you’ll feel better. Part of you being a wolf is your appetite increases and you’ll need triple what you would eat before.”

She led him up the steps and into the house, seeing him looking around in wonder, particularly at the photos –moving and non-moving- that littered the walls, showcasing the love and happiness that occurred between the pack and in the house.

He jumped in surprise when she pulled her wand and flicked it at the fireplace, flames dancing and warming up the room before she pulled him over to the kitchen, where Jared had already switched the kettle on for her and he was raiding the fridge before he settled on pulling out two sandwiches, throwing one to Seth who caught it easily. He looked at it before slowly taking a seat at the breakfast bar and Jared sat beside him.

“Jacob and Quil are asleep and Sam’s taken Billy home,” Jared informed her. “And before he left for patrols, Paul moved Teddy from your bed and into his own room. He didn’t wake.”

Hermione turned to look at him over her shoulder and smiled gratefully. “I don’t know what I’d do without you boys,” she sighed softly.

He snorted. “You’d be fine; it’s us that’d be a mess if we didn’t have you looking after us.”

Her smiled brightened before she quickly made herself and Seth a cup of tea, and she made a coffee for Jared, placing them in front of them and she retrieved the biscuit tin from the cupboard. They fell into silence as Seth ate his sandwich and drank his cup of tea, Hermione and Jared watching him carefully.

“Will you show me?” Seth spoke, breaking the silence and they both looked to him in confusion. “What happens when you transform?” He clarified.

Jared looked to Hermione for confirmation and she nodded, so he put his almost empty mug down and stepped away from them, making sure he had enough room. Seth’s eyes widened and he spluttered in surprise when Jared removed his shirt and jeans without batting an eyelash to Hermione being in his presence.

“There’s no privacy in the pack,” Jared shrugged. “There’s no point in being embarrassed, when we phase in anger all of our clothes get destroyed and we all keep spare clothes hidden throughout the woods. Hermione’s working on a way so that we don’t ruin our clothes.”

“I’m almost there,” she piped up. “Just a few more tests to run and it’ll hopefully work.”

He nodded and before Seth’s eyes, he suddenly phased into the giant wolf. Seth made a noise of surprise and almost fell off the stool and Hermione laughed lightly at him. He turned to look at her, his eyes wide and his expression surprised but awed.

“I can do that?”

“When you complete your transformation you’ll be able to. At first you’ll struggle to control your phasing as it’s tied into your emotions, but with the help of the pack you’ll be able to do it without thought,” she smiled at him.

“He’s massive.”

She snorted at him and the large wolf let out a wheezing sound. “All the wolves are, but Sam and Jacob are the biggest, though it’s barely noticeable.”

“Will I look like him?” He gestured to Jared.

The large wolf dropped onto his stomach and tilted his head towards Hermione, who snorted and rounded the breakfast bar until she sat on the floor beside him and scratched behind his ears. Seth looked amused with his behaviour.

“All my wolves love a good scratch behind the ear and a belly rub,” she shrugged at him. “And you probably won’t look like Jared. While each wolf is generally the same size, they all have different coloured and patterned fur. As you can see, Jared has brown fur and it darkens to grey around his eyes. Sam, his fur’s jet black, Paul has dark silver fur, Embry has grey fur with black spots, Jacob has russet-coloured fur and finally, Quil has chocolate brown fur but it lightens around his face. We won’t know the colour of your fur until you phase for the first time. And it’s why I’ll have to give you a haircut; if I don’t your fur will be far longer and heavier than the others.”

“And what about you? I don’t know how you did it, but I saw you light the fire in the fireplace.”

“As I said, that’s a long story and it’s getting late, you should get some sleep.”

He shook his head. “I won’t be able to sleep and I need the distraction,” he said quietly, looking down at the ground.

She looked down at Jared and the large wolf nodded his head in agreement. They might as well tell him everything so they didn’t have to after he phased, at least then they could focus on helping him control his abilities.

She placed a kiss to Jared’s head before they both stood up, the large wolf picking his clothes up in his mouth and padding out of the room, giving them some privacy. 

“Come on then, but brace yourself.”

“Why?” He questioned, taking her hand which she held out for him and she pulled him over to the living room, sitting down on the rug in front of the fire.

“My story is filled with wonder, love, tragedy, but most of all, magic.”


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 10

**Sunday 19th March 2006**

“Hermione? You alright?”

Hermione’s eyes opened and she lifted her forehead from leaning against the cupboard door and looked over her shoulder, seeing a worried Paul.

She let out a sigh and a tired smile pulled at her face. “I’m fine Paul, just tired,” she assured him. “Would you mind getting me an Invigoration Draught, I’m going to need it today?”

He nodded and with a worried frown still on his face, he turned and left out the kitchen. She turned around and leaned back against the counter, rubbing at her tired eyes with a hand, only to see the rest of the pack gathered around the breakfast bar and watching her worriedly, too.

“I’m fine, boys, honestly,” she promised, before turning back around and turning her attention to making her morning cup of tea and the others’ morning coffees.

She’d spent most of the night sat with Seth in front of the fire, telling him of her past and the existence of magic, and despite her having wanting to wait until he’d gotten some sleep, it had been worth it to see the sadness in him being replaced by smiles and wonder.

He’d kept her up most of the night with his inquisitiveness about magic and her abilities, about why he felt so comfortable around her. He’d asked more questions about being a wolf and being part of the pack and she’d answered the questions she could and told him to speak to the pack about things she wasn’t able to answer. And before she’d finally convinced him to go to bed, she’d given him a haircut.

By the time they both retired to bed to get some sleep, it was the early hours of the morning. As she had made her way to her bedroom, Embry and Paul had arrived home, explaining that Sam had stayed with Billy until it was his turn for patrols, and Jared left to join him. She would’ve laughed at the look on Paul’s face at discovering they had an almost member of the pack if she hadn’t been so tired.

Sam had woken her around dawn, climbing into bed and pulling her firmly against him and they both fell asleep for a few more hours, both being grateful that it was the weekend and the boys tended to sleep longer. It was Jacob that woke them, him being the first to emerge from his shared room with Quil and he collected Teddy from his room.

Despite still being tired, Hermione dragged herself from bed and dressed for the day and she and Sam headed downstairs, making a start on preparing breakfast for the pack. Once the smell of bacon filled the house, Embry, Quil, Paul and Jared soon made an appearance. The only one missing being Seth but that was understandable.

She shook her head and levitated their morning beverages over to the breakfast bar and when Paul returned with her potion, she dumped it into her tea and took a sip of the hot liquid, immediately feeling her energy levels rising and she saw their looks of worry fade.

“So, Seth,” Quil spoke from his place sat on a stool and helping Teddy to take a sip of orange juice from his glass as he sat on his lap.

Hermione sighed and a sad look crossed her face. “He’s going to need us,” she spoke. “He’s going through a lot at the moment, especially with Harry,” she said sadly, and they all fell quiet in a moment of respect for the Councilman. “I’m not sure how to go about this,” she admitted.

“What d’you mean?” Jacob asked, passing a slice of toast to Teddy and then turning his eyes to her.

She bit her lip. “I’m not sure how to treat him, or how you should treat him. Obviously he’s going to need your help and it’ll likely be a lot harder for him than it was for you all, given what he’s going through. Do we treat him as we would anyone else? Teasing and taunting him good-naturedly? Do we treat him with kid gloves, watching everything we do and say around him? Do we give him his space or surround him with our presence?”

They all frowned, realising that she had a point. None of them had been in the position Seth was in, and none of them had had to deal with someone in his position either.

“I’m sure he’ll tell us what he needs,” Sam spoke up, moving to stand behind Hermione and wrapping his arms around her, she leaned back against him and sighed as he rested his chin against her shoulder.

Their attention was drawn when a ringing sound was heard and Jacob frowned, shifting his hand to his pocket and pulling out his mobile phone. And although it was ringing, it seemed to cut off only to start again.

“Outside?” He questioned.

“Afraid so, I’m surprised it’s actually ringing at all,” Hermione said.

Jacob nodded and quickly left the kitchen, heading outside and away from the house until he had a signal, and the others fell back into conversation until he returned moments later, a sad look on his face.

They all turned to look at him and he opened his mouth but words didn’t escape. Hermione’s eyes fell shut and she brought her hands up to grip Sam’s arms that were still wrapped around her. She just knew.

“Billy?” She questioned sadly.

Jacob nodded, and the atmosphere in the room plummeted as they all knew that it had happened.

Harry Clearwater had died.

~000~000~000~

No one had much of an appetite after learning the news of Harry’s death, so after quickly cleaning up the kitchen, they all moved to the living room and talked amongst each other quietly, the boys mainly retelling stories and memories of Harry from when they were children. Paul, Quil and Jacob were sat on the floor keeping Teddy entertained, Embry and Jared spoke between each other on a couch and Hermione and Sam were on the couch opposite.

Sam had laid himself out and Hermione was laid beside him, being pressed against the back of the couch and his side as his arms held her to him and she rested her head against his chest, silently watching her pack as tears fell down her face.

“He wouldn’t let me help him,” she whispered. “I could’ve contacted a healer and had them take over his treatment and all of this could’ve been avoided. He wouldn’t let me.”

Sam placed a kiss to her forehead and his hand slipped below her t-shirt to rest against the small of her back, his fingers tracing soothing patterns.

“That was his choice, Hermione,” he said softly. “If he felt that he was ready and it was his time, there was nothing you could do to change his mind. He thought it was for the best and you can’t argue over that fact and you can’t blame yourself either. It was what he wanted and we have to respect his wishes.”

“I know, but I still hate it.”

He didn’t reply but he did press another kiss to her forehead and she lifted her hand and wiped away the tears falling down her face. They all startled as a door from above them was suddenly slammed against the wall and footsteps could be heard pounding down the stairs before Seth came rushing into the living room, wearing nothing but pyjama bottoms and a panicked look on his face.

Hermione and Sam both sat up instantly and stood from the couch and the others turned to look at him, Paul quickly intervening and stopping Teddy from running over to their new soon to be packmate.

“What’s happening to me?” Seth asked sounding terrified and he lifted his hands out and away from his body, showcasing that they were shaking uncontrollably.

Everyone shared a look of surprise at what they witnessing, after all, they’d never actually witnessed someone go through their first phase.

“Seth, I think you’re going through the final stages of the transformation,” she spoke softly, moving to approach him but Sam held her back.

Of course, Sam knew that no one in the pack would hurt her but if she was close when someone phased, she could get accidentally injured. He wasn’t risking it.

“Your body’s about change,” Sam spoke, his deep voice drawing the attention of the scared teen and his frightened eyes snapped to him. “It doesn’t hurt,” Sam assured him. “There’s no pain involved in the transformation, you might feel a little dizzy, but you’ll be a wolf before you even realise you’ve changed.”

“Maybe you should all change,” Hermione spoke, her eyes looking to her pack and they all nodded in agreement.

Paul handed Teddy to Hermione and she made sure to have a tight hold of him so she couldn’t drop him as he struggled against her, wanting to be put down. She pulled her wand and with a few whispered words, all of the furniture in the room suddenly shrunk down and moved to sit on the kitchen counter, leaving a large empty room that would easily fit the many wolves it was about to cater to.

Several moments later, clothes were removed and five giant wolves were lying on the ground, watching and waiting for Seth to phase, too. With them all in their wolf forms, they would be able to communicate with him and hopefully, it would be able to calm him. Sam remained stood beside her, speaking to Seth calmly and Teddy was wriggling furiously, on the very verge of throwing a tantrum at not being able to run between the wolves. She could see it; his hair was slowly turning red as were his eyebrows and his face pulled into an angry scowl.

Hermione turned her eyes to Seth, seeing that his entire body was shaking and his hands were clenched into tight fists, trying to stop it.

“Seth, don’t fight it. Let it take you, you’re pack now and we take care of each other. We won’t let anything happen to you. Look, your pack’s waiting for you,” she said softly, gesturing to the group of differently coloured wolves, all laying on the ground on their stomachs with their heads resting on their front paws and watching Seth carefully. “We’re your family.”

His jaw ticked and he took a steady breath and nodded and then before her eyes, his clothes ripped from his body and he phased. Sam immediately stepped in front of her as a barrier of protection and Hermione gasped loudly when a fiery pain shot through her, searing at her back and she collapsed to the ground, Sam quickly catching both her and Teddy and holding her up. She didn’t need to look to know Seth’s name would be on her back along with the others and she did her best to control her breathing whilst the pain faded. Sam was watching her worriedly, as were her wolves and when she heard the patters against the floor, she moved away from Sam’s hold and stepped around him, where a smile found its way onto her face.

She handed the angry toddler to Sam and moved over to Seth, stopping in front of him. He lowered his head so their eyes could meet and she lifted her hand to rest against his face. A whine tore from him and he collapsed onto the floor and Hermione followed him, moving to sit beside him and leaning against him as she wrapped her arms around the large wolf’s neck and pressed her face into his soft fur.

“Welcome home, Seth,” she said quietly.

The rest of the pack shuffled closer to him, almost creating a circle around him and encasing him and Hermione in the centre of them. Hermione lifted her head and caught Sam’s gaze and he sent her a soft, proud look before finally putting Teddy down on the ground.

The toddler squealed in delight and his hair changed back to his usual blonde and he did his best to clamber over the wolves and get to the centre of the circle, the wolves letting out wheezes and barks of amusement.

Seth lifted his head when he felt the tugging on his fur and he was immediately caught in the gaze of grass-green eyes. Teddy grinned at him widely and tilted his head back to look up at him.

“Seth, you remember Teddy,” Hermione told him. “Teddy is going to help you, trust me, he’s very good at this. And all the wolves adore him.” Hermione turned to Teddy and gently tugged him over to her. “Teddy, this is Seth.”

Teddy’s grin widened. “S...SEF!” He squealed excitedly before he jumped at him, burrowing himself under Seth’s head and against his chest, wrapping himself around his leg. Hermione smiled at the sight; she would never not love how much he adored the pack.

“We’re going to sit here and stay with you until you’re able to change back. It may take hours, it could take days. It doesn’t matter and we’re not leaving you. I’ve warned you about the mind link and now the boys will take over.”

Hermione saw the large wolf visibly startle and a smile pulled at her mouth when she heard the wheezing of the pack, unsuccessfully hiding their amusement at scaring their new pack member as they communicated with him for the first time as wolves.

“By the way,” she spoke and he turned his large head to look at her. “Sandy.” He tilted his head to the side in confusion and she smiled at him. “Your fur, it’s a sandy colour.”

~000~000~000~

It had barely taken a few hours for Seth to change back to his human form which had surprised everyone. Given his circumstances, they’d expected for it be difficult for him but he’d proved them wrong.

Once Hermione had summoned him some clothing and he pulled them on in embarrassment, he pulled her into a tight hug. She didn’t have to tell him about his father, he already knew. She didn’t know how but he did.

He didn’t cry, he didn’t show anger or grief, he just smiled at her sadly, having accepted it and he’d already said his goodbyes. She supposed he must’ve known it was coming; Harry had had heart problems for a while so they must’ve been prepared for the worse, and whilst that didn’t make things any easier, it did allow him the chance to come to terms with it.

The rest of the pack phased back, too, and after dressing, they all left to give her and Seth some privacy to talk.

“How are you feeling?” She asked him, pulling back and her eyes sweeping his face.

“I’m not sure, I feel different but the same,” he frowned slightly. “I feel like me, but not. I can’t explain it.” He shook his head, and a small smile appeared on his face. “I’m a wolf.”

She smiled at him. “You’re a wolf,” she confirmed. “Until you learn to control your abilities you won’t be attending school along with Jacob and Quil. Your phasing is very easy to trigger, you need to learn to control not only that but you’re emotions, too, to stop you from accidentally phasing. Embry returned to school not too long ago and we think Jacob will be safe to do so in a week or so.”

They both looked down when they heard a laugh and Seth felt a tugging on his clothing, and it was to see Teddy grinning up at him and wrapping himself around his leg tightly. Hermione chuckled and bent down to pry the small child off his leg and she settled him on her hip.

“Before we do anything else, let’s have lunch. What do you say, Teddy, are you hungry?” He nodded furiously and Hermione laughed at him and Seth’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Alright, we’ll have lunch and then it’s nap time.”

“No,” the toddler scowled, stubbornly crossing his arms over his chest. “Me no’ tired, me wanna play with S-Sef!”

Hermione raised an eyebrow and then turned to look at Seth, who looked to be trying to hide his laughter but his shoulders shook making him unsuccessful.

“Alright, but you still need nap time today,” Hermione told the toddler. “Come on, let’s make lunch and you can help me,” she said, handing Teddy over to Seth when he reached out for him and Seth followed Hermione to the kitchen.

“Er, Hermione?” Seth said, his voice distracted and surprised whilst she sent the furniture back to the living room and resized it.

“Yes?” She questioned, turning to look over her shoulder as she moved to busy herself with digging through the cupboards, deciding on what to make for lunch.

She laughed when she saw the wide-eyed look on Seth’s face, the reason being that Teddy had changed his appearance to match his own. Hearing her laughter, Seth tore his eyes away from the toddler perched on his hip and to her.

“I know you said he could change his appearance but...”

“But it’s surprising to see him actually do it,” she finished for him, the amusement still in her tone when he nodded silently, once more staring at Teddy. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I don’t think I will,” he said distractedly.

They heard snorts of amusement and turned to look behind them, seeing the entire pack entering the room and they swarmed around the breakfast bar whilst Sam came to stand beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. Hermione watched with a smile on her face as the pack immediately pulled Seth into conversation, laughing and poking fun at him.

Hermione was a little worried that it would upset him but he took it all without complaint, a large smile pulling at his mouth when Paul shoved Embry for insulting him and Jared slapped Paul over the back of the head as Embry fell into him.

“Don’t get used to it, Pup,” Paul said, putting his hands in his pockets and leaning back against the breakfast bar.

“What?” Seth frowned slightly and seeing the smirk on Paul’s face, Hermione got the feeling she knew where the conversation was about to go, and she was right, both she and Sam watching the pack in amusement.

“Teddy,” he nodded to the child that was perched on his lap now that Seth had taken a seat on a stool. “I’m his favourite,” he said smugly and the rest of the pack rolled their eyes and snorted at him. “Once he’s worked his magic and you’re settled in, he’ll come back to me.”

“Ignore him,” Embry spoke. “He’s just jealous.”

“I’m not, watch,” Paul replied. 

Paul removed his hands from his pockets and held them out to Teddy. The child looked up from amusing himself by clapping Seth’s hands together and a wide smile appeared on his face.

“Ball,” he squealed happily, lifting his arms up in request to be picked up.

Paul reached over and scooped Teddy up from Seth’s lap and he sent a smug look to the others when Teddy wrapped his arms around Paul’s neck and pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek, only for the others to start laughing when Teddy reached out to Seth, wanting to be with him again.

Hermione chuckled and shook her head, pulling away from Sam and turning back to the cupboards, rummaging through her food stores whilst she listened to the pack’s laughing and teasing of each other. She snuck a look over her shoulder, seeing Seth smiling and laughing, too.

“He’s going to be fine,” Sam said softly from beside her. She turned her head to look at him. “He’s going to be fine,” he repeated after seeing the worried look on her face.

She took a breath and nodded. “He’s going to be fine,” she parroted, her eyes briefly moving to the laughing teen. “Right, let’s get started on lunch.”

“Is there brownies?” Paul piped up.

She turned to look at him with an amused look on her face. “Do you want brownies?”

“I _always_ want brownies,” he shrugged.

She snorted at him. “If you don’t make any wolf-pup training jokes for the rest of the day, I’ll make brownies for after dinner.”

“I guess no one’s getting brownies,” Jacob spoke. “He can’t go five minutes without doing so.”

“I can,” Paul protested.

“You can’t,” Quil argued.

“Yes, I can, I just choose not to.”

“If you say so,” Embry shrugged.

Paul scowled. “I’m going to prove you all wrong and when I do, I’m going to eat every single brownie so none of you can have one.”

“Good luck, you’re going to need it,” Jacob said.

“Shut it, puppy pads!”

“And you’ve failed,” Jared said amused.

“Damn it!” Paul cursed.

“Language!” Hermione scolded, throwing a cloth and it smacking Paul in the side of the head. 

~000~000~000~

**Tuesday 21st March 2006**

Hermione had just emerged from her potions lab after spending the last three hours completing a large potions order for the hospital. She made her way through the house and up to her bedroom where she quickly showered and dried and changed into some clean clothes before she went down to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

The house was empty of everyone but her; Embry was at school, Sam and Paul were both at the office since they had a few meetings that day with potential clients, and Jared was off in the woods with Jacob, Quil, Seth and Teddy, helping them with their phasing. It was mainly for the two newer wolves since Jacob had all but mastered his phasing and abilities by this point but a little more practice couldn’t hurt.

In the two days that had passed Seth had settled into his new role as a wolf a lot quicker than anyone else had, and although it was clear that the death of his father had affected him, the spark within him hadn’t dimmed. He took everything in stride, the comments and teasing, his abilities and him being a wolf and living in a house with several others that were just like him. Whatever his father had said to him before they’d left the hospital had helped him.

In the last two days, Seth had only had two accidental phases and not only was Hermione impressed by his quick grasp of control over his phasing, so was the rest of the pack. No one had gained control of themselves as quickly as Seth seemed to have. With the way he was going, Hermione estimated he’d be back at school within a matter of a few weeks, probably less. He was doing better than Quil and he’d been a wolf longer and even he was still struggling.

Hermione shook her head of her thoughts and with a flick of her wand, she had the pots and pans levitating about the room and moving to where she wanted them, and she did the same with the ingredients, intending to make a beef stew with dumplings and for dessert chocolate chips muffins, which Seth had shyly asked for and she was all too happy to do so for him.

As she spelled the knives to cut the vegetables for her whilst she got started on the dumplings, her eyes looked upwards and a smile pulled at her mouth. Earlier that morning, not long after the pack had left the house, the newly added floor had finally been finished and Hermione had spent a little time unshrinking the newly bought furniture and placing them in each room.

The new third floor now held another bathroom and four new bedrooms, two of which now belonged to Quil and Seth, so Jacob and Jared could have their bedrooms back to themselves. They hadn’t been decorated as Hermione would do so at a later date but they had the essentials of a large bed that would accommodate their large frames, a bedside table, a chest of drawers and a wardrobe, and finally a study desk and comfortable chair. None of the pack knew that the floor was ready and she was going to surprise them with the news when they had all returned to the house. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face, thinking of how the pack had grown and she just knew it would continue to do so.

Hearing a knock on the door, Hermione stepped away from the counter and washed her hands in the sink before leaving the kitchen and moving to the open the door, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw who was on the other side.

Someone she never thought she’d see on her doorstep.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Tuesday 21st March 2006**

“Leah? What are you doing here?” Hermione asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

Leah looked down at the ground and shuffled on her feet, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket nervously.

“Mom said I needed to come here,” she said quietly, refusing to meet her eyes.

“Why?”

Leah took a breath and finally looked at her. Hermione’s eyes travelled her frame, seeing her dark hair being pulled back from her face messily, dark bruises under her eyes and her eyes a little bloodshot. She also noticed the way that Leah seemed to be slightly taller than she remembered her being and she was hunched over slightly. Her magic immediately flared up in understanding.

“What do you know?” Hermione asked her.

“Everything,” Leah spoke. “I know everything, and mom told me that I had to come here, to you, she said you would know what to do.”

Hermione’s eyes held her gaze before she nodded and opened the door wider in invitation. Leah stepped into the house, her eyes taking in her surroundings curiously as she followed Hermione into the kitchen. Hermione gestured to the breakfast bar and Leah silently took a seat whilst Hermione checked on the large pot on the stove and then switched on the kettle to make a cup of tea. Once done, she placed the mugs on the breakfast bar and stood opposite Leah.

“Mom said Seth’s gone through the change already,” Leah spoke, breaking the silence and holding the mug between both of her hands, staring down at the steam that left the hot liquid.

“He has, he had his first phase Sunday morning and he’s been doing remarkably well with learning to control his abilities. He’s with some of the pack in the woods, despite how well he’s doing, he still hasn’t mastered his control and he needs to continue practising before he can return to school.”

“How’s he doing?” She asked quietly.

“A lot better than I thought he would be. Before I brought him here he spoke with your father and whatever he said to Seth seems to have helped him accept the changes that were to come in his life. Over the last few days, he’s had his quiet moments where he seems to be withdrawn, but mostly he’s laughing and smiling, joining in with the pack and becoming accustomed to being a wolf. He’s taken to it better than anyone, which is probably why he’s doing so well. He’s accepted what’s happened to him and he’s excited about being a wolf, about having a pack and a family that understands him better than anyone.” Leah shifted in her seat and brought the mug to her mouth, taking a sip of tea. “How are you doing?” Hermione asked.

“Fine,” she muttered.

“Nice try, how are you doing, and this time, don’t lie to me?”

Leah lifted her eyes to Hermione and she opened her mouth to respond before she frowned. “I can’t lie to you,” she said, sounding confused. “Why can’t I lie to you?”

“It’s the bond, you’re going through the change like the others but you’re different, as far as I’m aware, there’s never been a female wolf before, but anyway, I’m technically the Alpha Female of the pack and as such, it’s my responsibility to protect the pack and keep them safe, to love them and be anything they need, whether it be a mother, sister, or friend. Since you’re going through the change and I know you are because I can not only see it, but feel it, too, that bond’s carrying over to you. So, tell me the truth, how are you doing?”

“Not good,” Leah admitted, a slight crack to her voice and Hermione could see that she was trying to hold back her tears. “We knew it was coming but still...”

“It doesn’t make it any easier,” Hermione finished for her softly. “I get it, I do.”

Leah sniffled, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her jacket. “I guess you do,” she replied. She looked down at the mug in her hands and then back to Hermione. “I’m sorry.”

Hermione raised an eyebrow in question as she took a sip from her own mug. “About?”

“For everything. For the way I treated you at the bonfire all those months ago.” Hermione felt surprise fill her and Leah gave a chuckle at the look on her face. “You didn’t deserve the things I said, I was just angry and upset about Sam and I never should’ve taken it out on you.” Hermione blinked dumbly, having no response. “If I’m being honest, things weren’t good between us for a while even before Sam broke up with me. I didn’t want to admit to myself that things between us weren’t great so when I saw him with you, being so happy, I found it easier to take it out on you than to accept things. I’ve since come to realise that I was in the wrong and I’m really sorry. I was a bitch and I never should’ve said the things to you that I did. What you did for your Godson, taking custody of him and raising him despite your age, it shows a lot of courage and selflessness and I could never do what you’ve done. And what I said about you moving on, you were right, I had no right to be so judgemental.”

Hermione blinked several times before she cleared her throat and pushed her hair back from her face and over her shoulder. “Well, thank you, and I accept your apology.” It looked as though a weight had been lifted off her as Leah’s shoulders slumped forward and she breathed out deeply. “So you’re not going to be a bitch then?”

Leah’s mouth twitched in amusement. “I’m probably still going to be a bit of a bitch, it’s hard to break habits but it won’t be aimed at you, probably the others, it’s my understanding that I’m to stay here with you. And I don’t think I can take you on, you all but destroyed me last time.”

Hermione chuckled and nodded her head. “Yes, you’ll have to stay here, and I’m glad I’ve finally got another female here, I’m surrounded by so many boys I’m starting to lose my mind, unfortunately for you, you’ll have to share a bathroom.”

Leah shrugged. “I’ve shared a bathroom with Seth for years.”

“Well, you arrived just in time. Construction on the third floor was completed this morning so you get first pick of the bedrooms, but you’ll be on the same floor as Seth and Quil. Quil’s been sharing with Jacob for the last week and Jared moved into Paul’s room to give Seth some space,” Hermione explained. “Let’s go,” she said.

She gestured for Leah to follow her through the house and up the stairs, with Hermione pointing out each room as a way of a tour before they finally reached the third floor, in which Leah chose the first room on the right, being closest to the stairs and almost exactly opposite the bathroom. They then made their way back down the stairs and took seats on the couches.

“Are you going to be alright being here, what with Sam and I?” Hermione asked.

Leah nodded. “I’ll be fine. Like I said, things weren’t good between us when we broke up and I’ve finally come to terms with it. I still care for Sam, but I have no problem with either of you.”

Hermione bit her lip before making a decision. “Even if we’re engaged?”

Leah blinked slowly, processing what Hermione had just said before she shook her head. “That was fast,” she commented. “And no, I have no problem with it. You make him happy and you obviously love each other and it’s easy to see, I saw you together once when you were grocery shopping, and despite my anger at the time, I could see you loved each other.” Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief. “And I respect you.”

“It’s the bond,” Hermione shrugged.

“It’s not,” Leah shook her head. “I respect you for the way you stood up to me and you didn’t let me get to you, despite the fact I was being a massive bitch and you clearly didn’t deserve my ire.”

“You said your mother told you everything, what did she say exactly?”

“That the legends of the Tribe are true, that Seth was a wolf and it’s why he wasn’t at the house and here instead, and before he died, my dad told my mom that I was apparently going through the change, too. She wanted to wait and see for herself and she sent me here this morning. It took me a while to find the courage to actually come,” she admitted.

“Let me guess, increase in appetite, fevers, trouble sleeping, mood swings?” Leah nodded. “You’re going through the change, I can feel it in my magic.”

“Magic?”

“This is going to be a long day,” Hermione sighed. “Leah, I’m a witch.”

~000~000~000~

Leah had taken the news a lot better than Hermione thought she would and after listening attentively and asking questions where appropriate, Leah had taken a moment to sit in silence and digest everything.

“Well, shit, I’m actually glad I don’t have a problem with you and Sam, I wouldn’t want you hexing me,” she said.

Hermione snorted at her before she and Leah both moved to the kitchen, Leah helping Hermione to bake the muffins whilst Hermione cast Stasis Charms over the completed stew and dumplings.

“You know there’s a mind link, right?” Hermione said as she pre-heated the oven before turning her attention to measuring out the ingredients to the correct amount needed.

“Mom said it’s basically telepathy between the pack,” Lead replied.

“Yes, it only occurs when you’re in your wolf form, but it’s impossible to keep any of the wolves from reading your mind. They’ll see every thought, memory and feeling, the only way to prevent that from happening is to not think about anything you don’t wish them to see and that’s easier said than done. There’s no privacy in the pack and it’s impossible to keep secrets. They’ll eventually come out if you are.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Hermione turned to better face Leah. “I’m just warning you in case you see something you don’t wish to. As I said, you’ll see their memories.”

“And?” Leah said, and when Hermione pointedly looked at her, it seemed to click in her mind what Hermione was referring to. “Right, I can imagine that being an uncomfortable thing to see, but I’ll be fine,” she grimaced.

“Hermione!”

They both looked up to see Jared, Quil, Jacob and Seth -who was carrying Teddy perched on his hip as he tugged at his hair- enter the house.

“Hermione! I did it, I actually did it, I phased back quicker than both Jacob and Quil!” Seth said excitedly and Jared snorted at him as they all stepped into the kitchen, their amusement quickly dying down when they saw Leah.

“Leah?” Seth said in surprise before he handed Teddy over to Jared and he quickly crossed the room and over to his sister, pulling her into a tight hug. He hadn’t seen her since she left La Push over a month ago.

“God, Seth, you’re huge, what happened to my little brother?” Leah commented, pulling back from him and her eyes cataloguing all the changes in him. “I’ve only been gone a few weeks.”

“Well...Err.. I’m... What I mean is...”

“Seth, she knows,” Hermione said amused, seeing him slump his shoulders in relief and the surprise on the other three wolves’ faces. “She’s going through the change, too.”

“What!” Hermione winced against the noise of the wolves’ chorused surprise.

“You heard her, I’m becoming one of you, too,” Leah smirked, taking the mixing bowl and whisk from Hermione and mixing the batter whilst Hermione put the empty muffin cases on a tray.

“Shit,” Jared whispered, looking worried but he’d still managed to dodge the cloth Hermione threw at him and he looked apologetic at her glare. “Sorry,” he said, looking down to Teddy who was perched on his hip. “That’s a very bad word, don’t say it,” he told the toddler.

Teddy nodded and wrapped his arms around Jared’s neck. “Kay, Jed, I be good.”

Hermione snorted at the little boy, knowing that with his Marauders blood and having the boys as his role models, he was going to be a handful when he was older. Hell, he was a handful now!

“Does Sam know?” Jared asked, moving over to take a seat at the breakfast bar along with the others who had already done so.

“Not yet.”

“I think...”

“It’ll be fine, Jared, no need to worry.”

“Hermione, he’s very protective of you, you know what happened the last time someone insulted you,” he said, eyeing Leah warily.

“Ronald deserved it and it’s not as if Sam actually hurt him, he just made him wet himself in fear,” she replied, thinking of the memory fondly.

“I’ve never seen him phase out of anger the way he did that day, and I don’t want to see it happen again, either.”

Hermione gave him a calming smile. “Trust me, Jared, it’ll be fine. Leah has apologised for her behaviour at the bonfire and we have come to an understanding.”

Jared turned to look at Leah and narrowed his eyes at her, she rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to cause any trouble. I can feel the bond between us forming, the bond of wolf and Alpha, I have no desire to upset her or hurt her, nor do I Sam. We broke up and I’ve come to terms with it, he’s with Hermione and he’s happy, and I’m happy that he’s happy and he’s found someone that loves him and is willing to put up with him, especially enough to get married to him.” Jared blinked in surprise. “Yes, I know they’re getting married, and I’m not bothered by it in the slightest. I’m happy for them.”

“You’ve changed your tune,” he commented, looking a little less suspicious but still not trusting her entirely.

She shrugged in reply. “I’ve come to realise that Sam and I weren’t meant to be, he was meant to be with Hermione. I saw that even before I knew what was happening to me and I learned about the legends.”

Just then the door opened once more, Paul calling out, “Honey, I’m home.”

The others snorted at the greeting as Paul walked into the kitchen with Embry behind him, both of them stopping in their steps immediately when they noticed Leah there, too, and they blinked in surprise, their eyes searching the others for an explanation. Soon after, Sam came into the kitchen with a large smile on his face and a letter in his hand, not noticing Leah or the strange atmosphere in the room.

“A letter arrived at the office today,” he said, holding up the letter in his hand as evidence. “It’s the adoption papers, I’m officially Teddy’s guardian,” he grinned widely.

Hermione let out a little squeal of happiness before she stepped out from behind the breakfast bar and all but ran over to him. He laughed as he caught her when she jumped at him, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her to him happily.

“It’s official, we’re a family,” Hermione spoke, tears of joy in her eyes and Sam pressed a kiss to her forehead, then to her nose and finally one to her mouth.

“We’re a family,” he said softly, brushing her hair back from her face and she leaned into his touch, “Thank you,”

“For what?” She questioned.

He smiled down at her. “For giving me a family, for giving me a chance to be a better man and for pushing me to always do my best and to not give up.”

“You were a good man before we met,” she replied.

“Maybe, but because of you, I’ve got things in my life I could only dream of having. A growing and successful business. A pack, a family I can be proud of. A son who I would turn this world upside down to protect and a woman I love with everything I have in me.”

“Are you trying to make me cry?” She asked, her voice cracking slightly and she sniffled.

He chuckled at her. “Of course not, I just think it’s important that you know how much I love you and how thankful I am that I have you. I may not tell you every day, but I do love you.”

“I know and you don’t need to tell me, your actions more than speak for you and I love you, too,” she replied, pressing her face into his button-down shirt and hugging him to her tightly.

“Shit, now I feel even worse about those things I said,” Leah spoke, effectively breaking the silence in the room.

Sam sprang back from Hermione and had her pushed behind him protectively so fast she’d barely even blinked. The boys’ eyes darted between Leah and Sam nervously, Jared passing Teddy over to Quil so he and Paul and could be ready to intervene with Sam if they had to.

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked with narrowed eyes, his voice calm and collected but Hermione could feel the tension in his body.

“Sammy, it’s okay,” Hermione spoke up, putting her hand on his arm, feeling him relaxing slightly under her touch. “Leah has apologised for her behaviour and has made it clear that she no longer has any ill feelings towards me.”

“What is she doing here?” He asked, looking down at her with his dark eyes.

“Sue sent her; she’s going through the change.” Sam’s eyes widened, moving over to an amused looking Leah and then back to Hermione. “I didn’t sense it in her just as I didn’t sense it in Seth, because there’s been so many phasings over the last month my magic hasn’t had time to properly settle back down, and there’s also the case of my magic being on edge due to Alean’s warning. But when she turned up, my magic flared up, she’s going through the change. I reckon it’ll happen in the next couple of days.”

“So she’s staying with us?” He questioned.

“She’s staying with us,” Hermione confirmed.

“We’ll leave you alone to talk,” Jared said, pointedly looking at the four younger wolves and gesturing for them to leave with a tilt of his head.

“Construction’s finished on the third floor,” Hermione informed them. “You’ll find all the furniture in the rooms and I’ll decorate them for you later, Quil and Seth, you can choose whichever room you wish to but Leah’s already claimed the first room on the right. Jared, I’ve moved your bed back into your room.”

They all nodded before they left the room, Quil putting Teddy on the ground and allowing him to run ahead of them.

Hermione took Sam’s hand and pulled him out of the kitchen and over to the living room, sitting beside him on the couch and Leah sat on the couch opposite them. Silence fell upon them with Sam watching Leah carefully. They were interrupted when Teddy ran into the room, apparently deciding that he wanted to be with them rather than the boys. He pulled himself up on the couch and moved until he was standing on Sam’s lap, looking down at him with his grass-green eyes and Sam made sure to hold onto him so he couldn’t fall.

“Daddy been work?” The toddler asked.

Hermione would swear her heart melted and tears sprang to her eyes at Teddy calling Sam that term so easily, and at the way Sam’s face suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Yeah, I’ve been to work,” Sam replied. “What’s Teddy been doing today?” He asked.

A thoughtful look crossed Teddy’s face and Hermione sat back against the cushions and shuffled closer to Sam, resting her head against his shoulder with a smile on her face.

“I be with woofs,” he said, pulling a laugh from them both.

“And you’ve been a good boy?” Sam questioned.

Teddy nodded furiously, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. Hermione realised he was in need of a haircut with the thick blonde strands being shaggy and brushing his ear lobes.

“I be good, Jed not be good, Jed say bad word an’ mummy be mad.”

Sam burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking and his head thrown back. “Well, now we know who the snitch in the house is,” he said and Hermione laughed along with him.

“I always knew you’d be a good father,” Leah spoke, breaking them from their little bubble and reminding them of her presence.

Sam’s amusement died down and he shifted Teddy so that he was sat on his lap and Hermione summoned his second favourite toy, a stuffed wolf that Paul had bought him, and she handed it to the toddler so he could amuse himself and it would keep him distracted.

“Look, I said I was sorry and I meant it. The things I said I did out of hurt and anger. I didn’t want to admit that things between us were bad even before we broke up, and I’ve since come to realise that I was wrong to behave the way I did. I’m over it all now. I can see how happy you are and I’m glad that you’ve found Hermione. You deserve each other, you really do, and I’m not upset about you getting married either.”

“I’m not sure I believe you,” Sam said honestly. “You’ve always been good at hiding your feelings from others, even me.”

Leah shrugged. “When I phase and the mind link is formed, you can see for yourself that I’m telling the truth. Hermione said there’s no privacy in the pack so you’ll be able to see my thoughts and feelings for yourself. I really am happy for you and I’m sorry for being a bitch.”

Sam’s body relaxed into the cushions of the couch. “I never wanted to hurt you, Leah,” he spoke, his voice softening slightly.

“I know,” Leah nodded. “Now that I know about the pack, I understand why you did what you did, you wanted to protect me and I get than now, but let’s be honest, Sam, things between us were bad even before we broke up. We spent more time arguing than we did being together. Everything that happened was for the best. I was forced to grow up and to depend on myself, and you, you got a business, a girlfriend that gives you everything I couldn’t, and a child that adores you and calls you his dad. I’m not going to cause any trouble, I promise.”

Sam eyed her carefully before slowly nodding, accepting her words as the truth.

“Good, now let’s properly introduce you to Teddy, once you phase he’s going to be spending a lot of time with you,” Hermione said. “Teddy, this is Leah, she’s going to be a wolf, too, and she is Seth’s big sister, just like I’m Harry’s big sister,” she explained.

Teddy nodded his head and turned his eyes to Leah, offering her a large grin and a little wave. Leah smiled in return and sent a little wave back.

“Excellent, now, dinner’s ready, I’ll just put the muffins in the oven and by the time we’re finished eating, they should be ready.”

A stampede of footsteps was heard before each member of the pack came barrelling into the living room, some of them coming from upstairs and the rest coming from the library and family room.

“We heard you say dinner’s ready,” Embry spoke.

Hermione and Sam shared an amused look before she turned to look over the back of the couch at the gathered group of teens.

“As always, you heard correctly,” she replied. “Seth requested beef stew and dumplings and chocolate chip muffins for afterwards.”

“Good choice,” Paul commented, clapping the youngest wolf on the shoulder before they all darted over to the dining table and took their seats, waiting impatiently for their dinner.

Hermione rolled her eyes as Sam put Teddy on the ground and the toddler ran over to the dining table, Paul lifting him onto his own chair in-between himself and Seth. Both she and Sam stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen with Hermione turning to look at Leah and calling over her shoulder,

“Welcome to the madhouse.”


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 13

**Friday 24th March 2006**

Three days since Leah's arrival at the house passed quickly but it wasn't without its difficulties. It was clear Seth was happy to have his sister around and he hadn't stopped talking about what it was like being a wolf and a member of the pack, and while Jacob, Quil and Embry were polite and seemed to be unaffected by her arrival, it was a different matter entirely for Jared, Paul and Sam.

In the last three days, Sam refused to leave Hermione alone with Leah and he spent most of his time watching the soon-to-be wolf with wary eyes, waiting for her to say something that would upset Hermione. He believed her words to some extent but he also knew that Leah could hold a grudge and she was a bit of bitch when she wanted to be, he'd been on the receiving end of it plenty enough times when they'd been together. He knew Hermione could take care of herself but his wolf instincts to protect her were strong and hard to ignore.

Sam's behaviour was also mimicked by Paul and Jared, both of who never left her side unless they had to. She knew they were protective of her but she'd never realised just how protective they were until that point. As it was, they took it in turns to stay home from the office despite the fact Leah didn't really interact much with Hermione except for meal times.

Leah kept herself to herself, only spending time with Seth but she could mostly be found in her bedroom or in the library, browsing through Hermione's non-dangerous books. The day after her arrival Sam had stayed behind from the office, helping the wolves with their phasing but being close enough to the house that he could hear if Leah were to do or say anything. Paul had stayed behind the day before and that morning it had been Jared before Sam and Paul arrived home not long after lunch, closing the office up early.

That afternoon was Harry Clearwater's funeral and naturally, they would all be attending. Leah hadn't come out of her room all morning, missing both breakfast and lunch and knowing how badly the wolves needed to eat, Hermione had made sure to leave food outside of her bedroom door for her and she was glad to see the plates being empty when she'd gone to collect them. Whilst Leah had locked herself in her room, Seth had done the opposite. He'd surrounded himself with his pack and appeared to be as optimistic and joyful as he was known for being, but Hermione could see the sadness hidden beneath but knowing he took his comfort in the presence of his pack members, she'd not said anything.

By the time Paul and Sam returned home, they were all ready to leave and after quickly washing and changing into the clean and appropriate clothing Hermione had already laid out for them, they left the house and headed for the cars.

Quil and Embry went in Jared's car along with Paul, whilst Hermione, Teddy, Leah and Seth clambered into Sam's truck. The drive to the funeral was quiet, even Teddy remained silent as he gripped onto Seth's suit jacket and rested his head against his shoulder, offering the young wolf comfort which seemed to be appreciated. Leah ignored everything and everyone around her and stared out the window the entirety of the drive.

When they arrived, they made their way to the group of gathered mourners, there being more than she expected there to be but then she hadn't actually met the majority of the Tribe, so it was understandable. Harry had been a Council member; more people would be there to pay their respects.

As they made their way over, she was more than aware of the glances her pack attracted, the eyes of the crowd members' darting between her curiously and the boys cautiously. Hermione barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes, knowing that the crowd were thinking of the rumours that surrounded her pack.

She had Teddy perched on her hip while Sam walked beside her, his hand holding hers and the rest of the pack followed behind them, them leading the way as the Alphas of the pack. Leah trailed behind and when Hermione looked over her shoulder, it was to see her holding her coat closed and her arms being wrapped around herself.

Feeling a tug on her hand, she turned her eyes forward and they stepped around the crowd and moved over to Billy and Quil III, both of them perched in wheelchairs with blankets draped over their laps. After greeting the pack, they stepped off to the side with Paul taking Teddy from her whilst she and Sam stayed behind to talk with the Council members.

"How are they doing?" Billy asked her.

"I'm honestly not sure," Hermione answered. "While Seth's spark doesn't seem to have dimmed and he appears to be doing better than expected, I'm not sure if he is. Harry spoke with him before we left the hospital so his words may have helped Seth, or he could just be very good at hiding it from us. As for Leah..." She trailed off, looking to Sam to answer since he knew her better than she did.

"She's Leah," he spoke, as if those two words explained everything and the two Council members nodded their heads. "Hiding her emotions and bottling them up is what she does and she won't let you see anything she doesn't want you to."

"She's kept mostly to herself," Hermione said. "She spends most of her time in her room or in the library. She's been attending meal times and answers questions when asked, but she otherwise doesn't get involved. I'm not sure if that's because she's not quite comfortable with the pack yet with her not yet being a wolf, or if it's due to Harry's passing."

"And young Seth, how is he handling the responsibility of being a shifter?" Quil III asked her.

"He's taken to it like a duck to water," she answered honestly. "He's almost mastered his phasing already; he's even doing better than Jacob and Quil."

"I haven't seen anyone taken to being a wolf the way he has," Sam agreed. "I supervised their training session the other day and I had thought Jared was over-exaggerating about Seth's control over himself and his wolf, if anything, it was the opposite. He's had less than four accidental phases since his transformation, and both he and Jacob should be able to attend school within the next week or so, with Quil hopefully following a week later."

"And Leah has yet to phase?" Billy asked.

"No," Hermione shook her head. "In the time I've seen her, I can see she's going through the change but there hasn't yet been a trigger like there was for the others," she replied before she and Sam shared a knowing look.

"And?" Billy prompted, knowing she had more to say.

"And we're worried today might just be that trigger," Sam sighed, bringing a hand up to rub over his face tiredly. "We're making sure to keep an eye on her so we can make a quick exit if needs be."

"We'll make excuses if your absence is noticed, but for now, the ceremony's about to start."

They both nodded before making their way over to their gathered pack.

"Where's Jacob?" Hermione asked, looking around and not seeing him. She'd known he wouldn't be travelling with the rest of him as he said he had something he had to do before the funeral, but she'd been expecting for him to meet them there.

"He's not here yet," Jared shrugged.

"Do any of you know where he went? He said he had something to do, but didn't say what?" Quil and Embry shared a look and Hermione narrowed her eyes at them after catching it. "Where is he? You know, I know you do."

"No, we don't," they both said together.

"Rule number two, don't lie to me."

Their eyes darted to one another and they shuffled under Hermione's gaze, her hands coming up to her hips and her foot was just about to start tapping when they gave in.

"He went to see Bella," Quil admitted.

"What!" Hermione growled, her eyes flashing amber and they both flinched back in surprise, Embry being scared of her temper and Quil still not being used to seeing her werewolf traits make an appearance during the day.

"We don't like it any more than you do," Embry promised and she knew it to be true, neither of them liked Bella and they hadn't since they'd first met her long before they'd become wolves. "We tried to convince him otherwise but he said he had to talk to her about something, we don't know what, but he said he'd be here to meet us."

Hermione balled her hands into tight firsts and gritted her teeth until Sam's hand wrapped around one of hers.

"I know you want to protect him," he said softly, "But you can't keep him locked up and away from her. We have to let him make his own choices and not interfere and soon enough he'll see what we all do, that she's not good enough for him and she's only using him. When he does that, we'll be there for him and we'll help him to move on."

"She's more of a bitch than I am," she muttered, calming herself down and the others snorted at her, understanding that she was referring to her wolf side.

"Our dislike for her is on par with yours," Sam spoke. Hermione raised an eyebrow and they snorted once more. "Alright, maybe not, but the point still stands. None of us like Bella and none of us approve of how she treats Jacob, but we've got to let him deal with this himself."

"I swear, Sammy, if she hurts him beyond repair, I'll rip her throat out with my teeth and no amount of vampires will stop me," she promised, her eyes flashing amber.

"Now that's something I'd pay to see," Paul commented before wincing when Jared nudged him in the stomach with his elbow.

Hermione looked away from the pack and caught sight of both Seth and Leah being held in a tight embrace by their mother before they pulled back and made their way towards the burial site.

~000~000~000~

Hermione stood beside Seth as tears silently rolled down her face as she watched the coffin slowly being lowered into the ground. Once she approached the site before the ceremony began, Seth had immediately taken Teddy from Jared, grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her over to his mother and sister, needing her support and comfort.

He held her hand tightly and Teddy was perched on his hip, his little arms wrapped around Seth's neck and his head buried between his neck and shoulder, understanding that Seth needed his comfort more than ever. A tear escaped and fell down Seth's cheek and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, feeling the pressure being returned. On Seth's other side stood his mother and she was holding hands with Leah, both of them had tears falling down their faces and they leaned against each other for support. Sam and the pack –and Jacob who had arrived minutes before the start of the ceremony, earning a disapproving look from Hermione- stood on the opposite side of the grave and they all had solemn looks on their faces.

"He would be proud of you," Sue said softly, her voice clear despite her crying. Hermione turned her head, seeing Sue looking to Leah and then Seth and Teddy cuddled up against him and a smile small pulled at her mouth before she turned her gaze to Hermione and then her eyes flittered over to the pack. "He'd be proud of _all_ of you."

Hermione wasn't quite sure how to respond but she was distracted from doing so when Leah suddenly pulled her hand away from Sue and looked down at it. Hermione followed her gaze, seeing her hands shaking.

It was happening.

"Leah, we need to get you away from here as calmly as possible, it's happening," Hermione muttered, not wanting anyone to overhear and her eyes moved to Sam, seeing him watching Leah cautiously.

Silently, Seth handed Teddy off to Hermione and he stepped closer to his mother, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Leah turned and darted off into the distance and Hermione was quick to follow her, being aware of Sam's presence behind her.

They walked for a little while before they found themselves in the woods and Leah began pacing back and forth, her hands tugging at her hair and her breathing heavy.

"Alright, Leah," Hermione said softly, "You'll be through with the transformation in a few minutes. It's won't be painful but you may feel disorientated afterwards," she explained. "It's best that you remove your clothing as to not damage it."

Without verbally acknowledging Hermione's words, Leah brought her shaking hands up to her coat and begun to undo the buttons, sliding the coat off her shoulders and carelessly dropping it to the ground before moving to unbutton her shirt.

"Turn around," Hermione instructed Sam who'd taken Teddy from her, the little toddler squirming in his hold to be put down so he could go over to Leah, much like he had with Seth and she knew he'd soon start with the screaming.

"I've seen her naked before," he frowned.

Hermione's eyes flashed amber as a sudden spark of jealously shot through her and she reached up to slap Sam on the back of the head.

"That's not something your current girlfriend wants to hear," she hissed quietly so Leah wouldn't hear. "My wolf's not taking kindly to those words and she wants me to bite you again."

"Oh, sorry," he said sheepishly, keeping his eyes on her when he heard Leah's shirt hit the ground and she made work on the zipper of her trousers.

She took a deep breath and reigned in her wolf. "I didn't ask you to turn around for my sake, not until you pointed that out, that is, ignorance is bliss," she told him, shaking her head. "I asked you because I don't want her to feel uncomfortable. You maybe have...You know," she struggled to say the words. "But that was when you were still together. Now you're with me and I don't want her to feel uncomfortable or violated in any way."

"Right," he nodded with his brow furrowed. "But we'll all see it when she phases."

"I've nearly finished with my experiment, I just have to run the final test before I can safely attempt to apply it to all of the packs' clothing. If it works, there'll be no more naked phasing, you'll keep your clothes and they won't get destroyed."

Slowly he nodded before he turned around with his back to her and he readjusted his hold on Teddy as the wriggling toddler's movements grew frantic in his need to be set free.

Hermione turned her eyes back to Leah, seeing her pacing in bare feet and with only her underwear on. For the next few minutes, Hermione spoke calmly and softly hoping to ease Leah until the phase came and she quickly moved to be shielded by Sam.

Hearing clumsy footsteps, she peeked around Sam's large frame to see the large female wolf with grey coloured fur looking to be struggling with getting used to having four legs. Slowly, she approached the large wolf and dark eyes immediately locked onto hers.

Something seemed to settle over Leah as a sudden whine tore from her and she fell to the floor, curling her legs under herself as Hermione kneeled down beside her. Feeling only a slight bit uncomfortable, Hermione moved to wrap her arms around the large wolf's neck as she always did with the rest of the pack, but moving slowly so Leah could pull away from her if she wished to. She didn't, which she surprised Hermione, until whimpers soon started and the wolf's frame shook.

Giving a nod to Sam who was watching Leah with sad but cautious eyes, he placed Teddy on the ground and he unsteadily ran over to them, immediately burying himself under Leah's head and pressing himself against her chest. Leah startled in surprise before she lowered her head, brushing her snout against Teddy's hair, causing him to giggle and laugh loudly.

"It'll get better, I promise," Hermione spoke up. "Take it from someone who knows, I've lost a lot of people in my life; friends, family, loved ones, but it does get better. Now that you're a wolf, you'll soon understand how the pack helps you to heal. You'll understand how and why Teddy and I are important to the pack, and before you know it, the pain won't be as bad and you won't feel as empty." Hermione looked over to Sam and he gave her a nod to let her know she'd said the right thing and then she turned her attention back to Leah. "But you know what? Now you truly _are_ a bitch."

A sudden snort-like huff left the large wolf before she nuzzled at Teddy once more, the blonde-haired toddler doing his best to climb onto her back and failing miserably.

"Teddy, you're going to hurt yourself," Hermione warned him.

Teddy turned his head and practically glared at her for her words, she blinked in surprise.

 _Bloody hell,_ she thought, unsure if she should be amused, worried or angry that he'd picked up such an expression and it could've been from any member of the pack.

"No, me do it," he told her seriously before once more attempting to climb onto Leah's back.

"Well, I'm not sure how to respond to that," Hermione admitted and Sam let out a chuckle, shaking his head.

He could envision what Teddy would be like in a few years. Whilst he hadn't yet entered the terrible twos but knowing he soon would be and knowing he was already a handful, Sam knew it would take the _entire_ pack to handle him.

Leah gave a wince when Teddy's grip on her fur caused him to tug at her whilst trying to climb onto her back and Hermione sighed.

"Teddy, you're hurting Leah," she told the toddler.

Teddy immediately stopped with his attempts and he looked to Leah with sad eyes before trying to wrap his arms around her in an apologetic hug, Leah nuzzled at him in acceptance. Leah turned to Hermione, her gaze letting her know that it was alright for Teddy to climb onto her back and Hermione sighed.

"I'm telling you, he's the most spoilt little boy in the entire world," she said before reaching over and lifting Teddy and placing him on Leah's back.

Teddy giggled and clapped his hands excitedly before he leaned forward so his chest was pressed against Leah's back and his face was pillowed by her soft fur and he gave a big yawn. Hermione knew he was tired, he hadn't had his nap yet with them being too busy that morning and then going straight to the funeral not long after lunch.

"Are you tired, Teddy Bear?" She asked softly, reaching out to brush his hair away from his eyes.

"No, me not ti-ed," he denied, despite the fact his eyes closed under her touch and he was using Leah as a very comfortable pillow.

Sam let out a chuckle before approaching them, giving Leah a guilty look before crouching down beside her and looking to Teddy.

"I think you are; I think you're very tired," Sam told the toddler.

"No, Daddy, me wan' duce,"

Sam's mouth pulled into a smile and he shook his head. What he meant was he wanted milk and cookies, which just happened to be Paul's weakness which Teddy had adopted recently.

"You can have some after your nap," he promised the toddler but he was already asleep.

"My Goodness!"

They heard a feminine gasp and they both turned their heads, startling at the sight of Sue Clearwater stood before them with her arm hooked through Seth's as they both stared down at Leah. Sue looked both surprised and awed while Seth's mouth pulled into a smile, there being no sign of tears and even Sue's face looked to have no evidence of her previous crying. Sue removed her arm from Seth and slowly, cautiously, approached Leah.

"She won't hurt you," Hermione assured her. "She knows it's you and she still has her human awareness and thoughts, only now she had her wolf instincts, too."

Sue nodded absentmindedly before she crouched down in front of her daughter, putting her in-between Hermione and Sam. Leah lifted her head to look at her mother, it having previously been laid on her paws and their gazes locked. Sue lifted her hand and Leah bowed her head, a smile pulling at Sue's mouth as ran her hand through Leah's soft fur.

"You're beautiful, just as you've always been," Sue said softly. Her eyes lifted and she caught sight of Teddy sleeping, sprawled out on his stomach on Leah's back and her eyes widened slightly. Sam, Seth and Hermione chuckled.

"He does it all the time," Seth spoke up, drawing his mother's attention. "A lot of the time he refuses his naps unless he can sleep curled up against a wolf."

"Can I...?" Sue trailed off.

Seth gave her a small smile and nodded in understanding. "You should turn around, when we phase we do it naked and our clothes get ruined unless we removed them," he explained.

Sue turned around and Leah bowed her head, not wishing to see her brother naked either and Seth quickly undressed and phased. When Hermione informed Sue it was over, she turned to look over her shoulder, her eyes widening as just how big he was, being able to see his full height with him standing up.

"Leah's smaller than the other wolves with her being female," Hermione explained. "Sam and Jacob are only slightly bigger than the others, but otherwise everyone's generally around the same size."

Sue nodded before standing and slowly approaching her son, her hand reaching up to press against the side of his face and burying in his soft, sandy fur.

"My little boy," she said softly. "Well, I guess you're not so little anymore," she said, sounding sad at the realisation.

"Why don't we all return to the house?" Hermione suggested. "Seth and Sam can stay with Leah and guide her to the house, and we'll take Sam's truck. Paul can drive and we'll have some tea and we can answer any questions you wish to ask, or you can just spend some time with your children."

"I'd appreciate that, thank you," Sue nodded.

~000~000~000~

**Saturday 1st April 2006**

It had taken Leah a total of three days before she was able to change back, and whilst it wasn't the longest it had taken a wolf (Paul holding the record of two weeks) it was the longest she'd personally witnessed. Even hers and Teddy's presence hadn't helped as much but Hermione understood that Leah had a lot to deal with.

The five days that followed that Leah had been quiet at first but she soon made her presence in the pack known, being a complete bitch as she was known for being and giving the boys a run for their money as she helped Hermione keep them in line. With so many new pack members, Teddy spent his time going between them one by one, and Hermione knew it was exhausting for the little toddler but she couldn't help be proud of him.

It had been a few days since they'd learned the news of the Cullens having returned and Jacob had volunteered to give them the warning that should anything happen and they be responsible, the pack would make sure the _entire_ coven would be destroyed. She only wished Bella hadn't returned from Italy; all of their lives would the better for it and if there was no Bella (and she was convinced she was the reason behind Aelean's warning) then there was no foretold battle.

Hermione knew that Jacob's hatred of the Cullens had only intensified the moment they returned as Bella suddenly stopped with her insistent texts and phone calls, no longer trying to gain his attention as much as she had before. And although Hermione had seen it coming, she felt her heart breaking for Jacob, her hatred and anger at Bella only intensifying.

They were all currently clambered in the kitchen, some of the pack sitting on the stools at the breakfast bar, some of them leaning against it and the rest of them perched on the kitchen counter, while Hermione and Sam manoeuvred around them and put the finishing touches on breakfast.

As food and plates were dished out, they all ate whilst talking and conversing between each other, Teddy stealing a sausage from Jared's plate while he was perched on Jacob's lap, Leah making fun of both Seth and Quil and Hermione threatening Paul with hexes after he chucked a slice of toast at Embry's head. Her house was never quiet but she loved it; now she could understand why Molly Weasley had so many children. There was nothing better than a house filled with people that you loved and cared for.

After breakfast was over, Hermione sent a spell to the sink so the dishes cleaned and dried themselves before they all turned their attention to planning Teddy's birthday party; he would be turning two-years-old in four days time and the pack was adamant it be the best party of his short life.

Hermione perched herself on the counter and listened to them arguing over the theme, over the colour of balloons, over which party games would be played and which type of cake he would have. Sam stood beside her with his arms crossed over his chest, an amused smirk pulling at his mouth when Leah was suddenly threatening to bite Paul for even daring to suggest that they hire a 'scary-ass clown'.

"Alright, that's enough children," Hermione called and all chatter died down immediately as everyone turned to look at her.

"Children?" Leah asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm older than you."

"Physically, emotionally and psychologically you're still a child," Hermione fired back.

"Fair enough," Leah replied amused.

"We're never going to get anywhere if you can't agree on anything, so maybe Sam and I should plan the party; he is _our_ son, after all," Hermione said.

Gasps rang out, horrified. "How dare you try to exclude us!?" Paul said indignantly.

"Yeah, he's our Teddy, too," Leah agreed, reaching over to pluck the toddler from Jared's lap and smiling smugly when he placed a sloppy kiss to her cheek and wrapped his arms around her neck in a tight hug, reaching out to tug at her hair and changing his appearance to match hers.

Hermione and Sam shared amused looks. "Oh, so you _can_ agree on something, that's wonderful." Leah and Paul looked to each other before scowling, realising that she was right, they _had_ agreed with each other over something. "Anyway, now that I've got your attention, I've been meaning to speak to you about something."

"You're pregnant?" Paul said bluntly.

Sam's eyes widened and he choked on the coffee he'd just taken a sip of, Hermione gasped in outrage and those that had been present the last time it had been brought up shared amused looks while the others blinked dumbly.

"What! No! Of course not!" She said in annoyance. "Why would you think that?" She demanded.

He shrugged his shoulders. "You're two are always at it."

"We are not!" Hermione denied; doing her very best not to stomp her foot in a hissy fit. "Are you saying I'm fat?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

"We've been over this, I don't think you're fat," he replied.

"So why would you assume she's pregnant?" Leah piped up. "You don't ask a woman if she's pregnant unless you think she looks it. That was your first assumption so you think she's fat, don't you?"

"Yes, Paul, do you think I'm fat?" Hermione asked.

"You do, don't you?" Leah spoke.

"I _know_ you do," Hermione added.

Paul was looking between them with wide eyes and a slightly fearful expression on his face, whilst the others could be heard sniggering as their eyes darted between the three of them, trying to keep up with the quick-fire trade-off between Hermione and Leah giving Paul a run for his money.

"I don't think you're fat!"

"Rule number two, don't lie to me," Hermione spoke.

"Yeah, Paul, you should never lie to a woman, especially one that cooks your meals," Leah chided.

"I don't think you're fat!" Paul exclaimed desperately and laughter broke out.

Hermione's narrowed eyes tightened. "You better not," she told him, lifting her finger to point at him threateningly.

"And if you ever ask me a question like that, you'll lose your favourite appendage," Leah warned.

Paul sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Fucking hell, I knew you two together would be a bad idea, I just didn't think it would be in _this_ way."

"Language!" Both Leah and Hermione scolded, looking pointedly at Teddy and Leah reached over to slap Paul over the back of the head, whilst Hermione threw a dishcloth at him and it smacked him in the face.

"Give me a break! Why aren't you picking on the others?"

"You called me fat," Hermione answered.

"I didn't call you fat, I was just messing around," he protested. "What did you want to tell us?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously as she crossed her arms over her chest before turning her attention back to the others. "I've finally finished my experiments."

"And?" Jared arched a questioning eyebrow.

"No more naked phasing," Hermione replied, but the only one that looked the slightest bit bothered by her announcement was Leah, the others being used to their having to be naked in order to phase. "I'll place the charm on all of your clothing so your clothes will no longer get damaged and they'll remain on during transformations. And there's something else, too?"

"And that is?" Jacob asked, earning a scowl from Leah when Teddy decided he now wanted him and he reached out for the toddler before settling him on his lap.

"Since Leah's transformation, my magic's settled back down again."

"And?" Embry prompted.

"Which means I can now sense when my magic's off, so we won't be taken by surprise like we were with Seth and Leah. So, now I'm confident in saying, my magic's feeling a little wonky."

"Please don't say it," Paul pleaded.

"Say what?" Seth asked confused.

"Training pads," everyone but Leah and Seth chorused together and Paul groaned before dropping his head into his hands.

"And that means what, exactly?" Leah rolled her eyes.

"There's another future member of the pack that's going through the transformation."

"But how?" Quil asked confused. "Everyone here is either a direct decent," he gestured to himself, Jacob, Sam and Embry –and learning of them being brothers had more than surprised the Clearwater siblings. "A cousin," he gestured to Paul and Jared, "Or are descended from all three," he gestured to Leah and Seth.

"I know," Hermione spoke. "But seeing as the Cullens," she growled, "Left and then returned, it's safe to assume it's sparked to life someone that may have the shifting gene, and this is likely to be a cousin, too, but maybe further down line, more distantly related to one of the three bloodlines."

"How long do you think?" Sam asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I can't be sure; it could be days, weeks or even months."

"Fantastic," Paul grumbled.

"I don't know why you're complaining," Hermione rolled her eyes, "Think about it, the more wolves we have, the more there are to patrol and that means that your own patrol shifts shorten. When it was just you, Jared and Sam you were doing four hour shifts, now you're a pack of eight, your shift patterns have dropped to only two hours which means more sleep."

They all looked to her in surprise, realising that she was right and suddenly Paul didn't look so disgruntled by the news.

"Well, if we need more training pads, whoever this wolf is can at least wait until we've finished getting these wolf-trained," he said, gesturing to the four newly turned wolves.

Hermione didn't even attempt to stop balled up pieces of paper being thrown at him. He deserved it after his pregnancy comment. She was starting to think that he actually _wanted_ her to get pregnant, probably so he could have another baby to corrupt and spoil and coddle, but neither she nor Sam were ready for that. Before they brought another child into the world they wanted to make sure Teddy experienced early childhood without it being taken away from him too early by a new baby, and forcing him to grow up before he was ready. They'd talked about having children together and she knew that if Sam got his way they'd have a horde of kids that would rival the size of the pack as it was now.

"What're you thinking about?" Sam's voice cut through her thoughts and she turned to look at him, even with her sitting on the counter he was taller than her.

"Our future," she admitted, her eyes moving between the pack who were once more arguing over planning Teddy's party, and Teddy who was now, for some reason, sat in the middle of the breakfast bar with a pen in his hand and scribbling away on a piece of paper. Hermione wouldn't be surprised if they fought over who got the rights to the drawing.

"Children?" He asked knowingly.

"Children," she confirmed with a nod. "And as much as I want to give you little Uley pups," she said and he chuckled at her, "I think we've got more than enough on our plates."

"Teddy is a handful," he agreed.

"I was referring to the _other_ children," she replied and he snorted at her, listening to the pack arguing over who got to give their present to Teddy first.

"So," he muttered, leaning closer to her and pressing a kiss to her mouth. "Wanna go and practice?" He whispered to her, knowing the pack were too distracted to pick up on his words.

Her mouth tugged at the corners. "And leave the children unattended? What sort of parents would we be?"

"The kind that deserves a break," he replied and she snorted at him.

"Hey!"

They turned to look over to the gathered group.

"If you're going off to make babies, use your magic so we don't have to hear it."

"What!" Hermione squeaked.

"And you have to name it after me, too."

"LEAH!"


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 9

**Saturday 1st April 2006**

"Have any of you seen Hermione?" Sam asked as he stepped into the family room where the majority of the pack were congregated, taking it in turns to play to a video game while Paul was off on patrols with Jacob and Leah was in her bedroom.

"No, not since she went into her potions lab after dinner, why?" Jared asked, briefly taking his eyes away from the TV to look at him.

"I can't find her," Sam frowned.

"Maybe she'd put up a Silencing Charm," he shrugged.

"No, I've checked every room in the house and even if she had put a Silencing Charm around a room, she would still hear me calling for her; it stops sound from leaving, not from coming in."

"Wait, that means that when you...You can still hear us?" Embry said, suddenly looking nauseous.

"We can still hear you," Sam nodded, his mouth twitching at the way everyone suddenly seemed nervous before he shook his head. "Look, I can't find her and I can't hear her either, and I never heard her leave the house."

They all frowned, the video game being paused and everyone giving them his full attention.

"She can't have gone far, she wouldn't leave without telling us," Jared said, a worried look crossing his face.

"We can go searching for her," Seth suggested. "Leah's upstairs and Teddy's in bed, she can stay and keep an eye on him.

With them all being worried, they agreed to Seth's plan and after quickly informing Leah of their leaving, they all left the house and paired off in search of Hermione, using their hearing and sense of smell in the hope of finding her a lot quicker. After half an hour, they all met up outside the house, their worry being palpable.

"Where the hell is she?" Sam growled, his wolf coming through to the surface as he started pacing back and forth, pushing a hand through his hair.

No one spoke, not being able to give him an answer to his questions and all of them being just as worried as he was. It wasn't like Hermione to just disappear without telling anyone so they couldn't help but fear the worst.

"I..." Seth frowned. "I think I hear something," he said.

"What? What is it?" Sam asked quickly, coming to a halt and looking to the youngest wolf.

Recently, they'd learned that just as Jared's eyesight seemed to be better than the rest of the wolves', Seth's hearing was the same. While they all had exceptionally good hearing, according to their experiments, Seth's hearing outstripped theirs by miles, literally.

Seth turned his head towards the sound and his forehead creased slightly. "Crying, I can hear crying, I think it's Hermione, I recognise the rhythmic heartbeat. She's on the beach..."

Sam didn't stick around to hear anything else he had to say as he quickly turned and ran down the beach, heading in the direction Seth's eyes had strayed to. Soon enough, his own hearing picked up on the sounds, quiet sniffles and a steady heartbeat he'd know anywhere. It took very little time for a figure to come into his view, kneeling on the ground on the cold sand and looking out at the moon as the waves of the sea splashed water everywhere and the cold breeze of the night made itself known.

He slowed until he was approaching her calmly, not wanting to frighten her and also allowing him the time to calm himself down. He came to a stop as he crouched down beside her, his eyes searching her for injuries and seeing none, but he wasn't blind to her puffy eyes, tearstained cheeks and red nose. She was staring off into the distance, tissues clutched tightly in one hand and sniffling quietly.

"You worried me," he said quietly, and he was relieved when she answered him despite not turning to look at him.

"I'm sorry," she replied, his voice quiet and it cracked slightly. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"Where were you? What happened? How'd you leave without us hearing you?"

"Port-key, I went to Hogwarts."

"Why?"

She turned to face him, his heart wrenching at the look of sadness in her eyes, at the pain and acceptance. She closed her eyes tightly and more tears fell down her cheeks. He brought his hands up to push her hair back from her face and he wiped away her tears and she tilted her head forward until their foreheads touched.

"I really am sorry," she whispered.

"I know you are and that doesn't matter anymore. Tell me, what happened, why did you go to Hogwarts at this time of night? And why didn't you tell anyone where you were going?"

She took a deep breath and brought her hands up to grip onto his wrists. "I had to go, I had to see him."

He didn't need her to clarify; he knew exactly who'd she gone to visit, but he didn't understand why she was so upset. In the months they'd been together, she'd gotten so much better when talking about Fred and answering questions about him and George.

"Do you know what today is?" She asked softly.

He frowned slightly, trying to recall the date. "April 1st," he replied.

"April Fool's Day," she gave a slight nod. "It's Fred and George's birthday," she whispered.

Feeling himself being surprised at the news he pulled back from her and she slowly opened her eyes, getting locked in his gaze.

"He would've been twenty-one today," she said, tears escaping her eyes and falling down her cheeks.

"Hermione..." He breathed out, unable to find a response.

She closed her eyes tightly. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice breaking. "I know seeing me like this over another man is probably really awkward for you and you must..."

"I'm stopping you there," he cut her off, "It's not awkward, I don't feel jealous or upset. I understand," he said softly and she opened her eyes, his own being soft and adoring. "You lost someone, someone you loved. I understand that you'll always love him, but I also know that you love me. You chose to love me, you chose to accept my marriage proposal and you've chosen to spend your life with me. You're forgetting, I briefly met Fred before he crossed over. He gave his blessing so I know there's no hard feelings on either end, and I have no reason to be upset or jealous. And even if there were, I can't exactly say anything, can I? My ex-girlfriend's living with us."

"I truly don't deserve you," she said quietly.

He gave her a small smile. "I think you'll find it's the other way around. And next year, if you want to see him again I'll go with you so you're not alone."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I promise you, Hermione, if _she_ makes an appearance we won't let her getaway, we'll make sure you get justice for Fred."

She gave another sniffle and leaned closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face against his chest as he held her to him. Looking over his shoulder, he caught sight of the rest of the pack stood a little ways down, all of them with sad expressions. He tilted his head and they understood the message and quietly left them alone, making their way back to the house.

Hermione and Sam stayed on the beach looking out at the moon for a little while longer before he was able to coax her back to the house. As soon as they stepped through the door, Hermione found herself being engulfed in a hug by Jared and she cried loudly as she was hugged by each member of the pack, Seth refusing to leave her side as they all took seats in the living room, the youngest wolf understanding what she was going through after losing his father and Leah soon made an appearance, too.

The floo suddenly roared to life, startling everyone and breaking the silence in the room. Quil, Leah and Seth all eyed the fireplace and the man that stepped out of it cautiously, having never met him before.

Hermione's cries soon started again when George stepped out, looking worse for wear; his eyes looking tired and red, his cheeks flushed, his clothing rumpled and he was carrying two bottles of fire whiskey in his hands and Hermione could smell he'd already had a tumbler or two that night.

"Hey, Princess," George said, his eyes and smile sad and his tone less joyful than usual.

Hermione stood from the couch and rushed to him, wrapping herself around him in a tight hug and he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face against her neck. It was a long while before they pulled back from each, the pack watching them sadly and feeling as though they were intruding on their privacy but they didn't dare move lest they disturb the two mourners.

"Drink?"

"Drink," she nodded in agreement, summoning several glasses from the kitchen and fire whiskey was soon poured.

"Legal drinking age in the Wizarding World is seventeen," Hermione muttered, seeing Seth's and Quil's look of surprise at being given alcohol.

"We're still underage," Quil pointed out.

"I'm not your mother," Hermione shrugged her shoulders before picking up her own drink and moving to stand beside George, him putting his arm around her shoulders and tucking her against his side.

"A toast to Fred," Hermione said, holding her glass up and the others followed suit.

"To the best friend, brother and twin, anyone could ask for. His pranks legendry, his mind devious and his mischievousness unrivalled," George said, his voice cracking for a small moment.

"To the more handsome Weasley Twin," Hermione added.

"Oi!" George said, glaring down at her and it brought a smile to the both of their mouths. The pack sniggered at them before they all took a sip of their drinks, Quil, Leah and Seth all spluttering but by this point, the others were used to it.

Hermione and George hugged tightly before she officially introduced him to their new pack members and then she pulled him to sit beside her on the couch as she sat next to Sam. Sam took her hand in his and she moved to rest her head against George's shoulder as he tilted his head to rest atop of hers, sitting in silence and their memories of Fred running through their minds.

It wasn't long later when Paul and Jacob returned, everything was quietly explained to them and they both hugged Hermione tightly and had some fire whiskey to toast to Fred. Soon after that, Sam left for his patrol along with Seth as it was his first patrol since his phasing and the others left to their rooms, giving Hermione and George some privacy.

"Can I stay here? I... I can't go home, not tonight."

"No, I'm kicking you out on your arse," she deadpanned.

He snorted at her. "But I only have one ear,"

"If you don't stop sending Jared prank products you'll lose that one, too," she answered. He chuckled at her and shook his head. "Of course, you can stay here, George, you're welcome here any time. There's a spare room on the third room, I had to have the house renovated with all the new additions to the pack."

"I've noticed there's a lot more than I remember there being," he nodded. "Are you happy here, Hermione?"

"Yes, very happy, Georgie," she answered. "Sam... Honestly, he's amazing and so understanding of what I've been through, he's so kind and understanding of my feelings surrounding Fred."

"I'm glad, I don't care who and what he is, I won't stand for him treating you badly or upsetting you."

"I know," she sighed. "But as you know, Fred gave his approval so we both know Sam's a good man, Fred never would've done that if he didn't think I would be in a safe and loving relationship."

"He was very protective of you," George agreed.

"You're just as bad," she replied and he shrugged his shoulders, not denying it.

"So, I hear you're getting married," George commented.

"Where'd you hear that? I haven't even told Harry yet," she frowned.

"You just confirmed it, I noticed the ring on your finger and you didn't have it the last time I saw you." She scowled at him and he chuckled. "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you,"

"When did it happen?"

"A couple of weeks ago, we had an incident and once it was all dealt with Sam kind of blurted out that he almost asked me to marry him then and there, and I agreed. He gave me a promise ring for Christmas and told me he'd never force me into something I didn't want and wasn't ready for, especially after learning of my engagement to Fred. At that moment I knew I was ready, and he told me he wanted to adopt Teddy, too. He's now officially his father and he's started calling us 'Mummy' and 'Daddy'," she explained.

He smiled down at her. "It was only a matter of time," he commented.

"We're waiting on the wedding for a little while, but... Do you think that... Well..."

"Spit it out," he chuckled, rolling his eyes and he took a swig from the fire whiskey bottle having abandoned the glass long ago.

"Will you give me away at my wedding?"

He blinked dumbly. "What?" He blurted out. "What about Harry or Snape?"

A sad smiled pulled at her mouth. "As much as I love them, I've always wanted it to be you. You know, when Fred asked me to marry him we spent all day together before I had to leave and all we did was make plans for our future. We talked about where we'd live, how many kids we'd have, what we'd name them and what our wedding would be like. I wanted you to walk me down the aisle and naturally, he wanted you to be his best man. And now that I'm marrying Sam, I guess I just want it to be you. It wouldn't feel right if it wasn't, Fred told he'd be at my wedding, he'd be watching over me and walking me down the aisle, and I need you to be there, too. The Weasley Twins, my two boys, back together again."

A tear fell from the corner of his eye and he nodded silently, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to her forehead and she felt tears fall down her face, too.

"So, how are things with Angelina?"

"Who told you about us?" His brow furrowed.

"You just did," she answered and he scowled at her. "I know you, Georgie."

He sighed. "I know, almost better than Fred. Things are alright, I suppose. We're taking things slowly; I'm not ready to just jump into a relationship. Between the war and losing Fred and having to run the shop by myself, I'm finding it hard to cope, but it's getting easier. I'm not ready to settle down and marry and have kids, I have to put the shop first, I have to do it for Fred."

"I know he's proud of you, he always was," Hermione said softly. "You've done a brilliant job in managing the shop and building the Weasley Twin legacy."

"It's not been easy,"

"I know, but you're doing wonderful and if you ever need my help, all you have to do is send an owl or pop on in through the floo."

"I can't do that, Hermione. You've got your own life, your own business and you've certainly got your hands full around here, especially with Teddy and the wolves."

"We're pack, George, don't make me bite you to make it official," she said and he chuckled at her. "You know I'd do anything for you, despite my never marrying Fred, you're still my brother and I'd drop everything in a heartbeat if you needed me. So, if you ever need help with restocking your stores, you're looking at a fully-fledged Potions Mistress."

"Show off," he muttered and she snorted at him before a frown pulled at her face. "I need to tell you something."

Sensing her sudden change in mood, he turned his body slightly and looked straight at her, a frown pulling at his face at the seriousness, anger and sadness held in her expression.

"A month ago, the pack were doing their patrols and they came across a scent. They'd found a vampire on our land and before killing him, they overheard him talking to someone. He mentioned he'd been sent here by Victoria." Her eyes flashed amber and his body stilled, his breath catching and anger suddenly filled him. His jaw clenched and he gripped the bottle in his hand tightly. "There's things going on here and I just know she's a part of it, the boys are keeping a look out for her and if she ever makes an appearance, she won't survive."

"Hermione..."

"I promise, George, you'll be the first person I'll floo call. I'll even make a new galleon with a Protean Charm so I can contact you as soon as it happens. If she survives what the pack will do to her, she most certainly won't survive what we'll do to her. We'll make sure she knows it was a mistake taking Fred from us."

He took a deep breath and slowly nodded, taking a few moments to calm himself.

"Can I give you your present now?"

He frowned, taking a large swig from the fire whiskey bottle. "You've already given me my present."

She smiled at him. "I have a present for both you and Fred, I've been working on it for a while now and I believe it's complete."

She removed her wand from her sleeve and she summoned her gift from her potions lab, catching it in her hand and holding out the potion vial and a sheet of parchment that held the recipe and brewing instructions.

"What's this?"

"Fred once asked me if it was possible to force a person into revealing their emotions, so I made it possible, well, sort of." He blinked dumbly. "I've more or less made a Mood Detecting Potion, only the results show themselves by changing the colour of every strand of hair on the body. For example, blue is sad, purple is lustful, yellow is happy and orange is hungry. Imagine, someone's eyebrows, arm hair and leg hair suddenly turning neon blue or yellow."

He blinked once more before laughing. "That's brilliant; I can market this as a tool for men wishing to understand women's feelings. Just think of how many relationships will be saved thanks to this potion."

"Not as many as there would be relationships being destroyed," she said with her mouth pulling into a smile. "If Sam ever gave me something like this I'd hex his arse."

He snorted. "Once again, your brilliant mind has made itself known and saved my arse, I was running out of ideas for new products."

She rolled her eyes. "That mind of yours is so devious that's not even possible."

He grinned at her. "Glad someone's finally able to see me for my talent. And thank you, we love it," he said, looking up at the ceiling briefly and then back down to her.

"Just wait until next year; I've got something even bigger planned."

A mischievous look entered his eyes. "Freddie's influence on you was a lot greater than I realised."

"He's created a monster," she nodded.

~000~000~000~

Sam stepped into the house and quickly shushed Seth as he soon became aware of Hermione being asleep on the couch. There were now four empty bottles of fire whiskey littering the table and she was asleep beside George, her head resting against his shoulder and him with his head pressed against the top of hers. He felt no jealously or anger; there was no need for it. Despite him being the brother of her dead fiancé and they were technically unrelated by blood, George was her family, her pack and he understood that, but more importantly his wolf understood that.

Making their way towards the stairs, he saw both Paul and Jared sat on the steps and they were asleep, too; Jared leaning against the wall and Paul with his head in his hands. He woke them quietly and Seth slipped past them and to his room, waking Quil for his patrols with Jared. Sam raised an eyebrow at the two older wolves as they slowly woke up.

"We just wanted to make sure she was alright," Jared shrugged his shoulders.

"How's she been?" Sam asked, glancing at Hermione over his shoulder and seeing that there were no signs of her having been crying and she looked peaceful in her sleep.

"There's been a few tears but she's otherwise been fine," Paul answered. "They just sat up and talked about Fred and their lives, she asked him to give her away at your wedding."

Sam blinked in surprise; he'd expected her to ask Harry or Snape, but he shook his head. He'd heard Fred say he'd be with her when she walked down the aisle, so he assumed her asking George had something to do with that.

"If that's what she wants," he shrugged his shoulders.

"We'll have to get some Hangover Potions out for them for when they wake, they drank a bottle each of fire whiskey and we know the effect it has on us, they're definitely gonna feel it in the morning," Jared spoke before standing up when Quil made an appearance at the top of the stairs and they left for patrols.

"Are you going to move her?" Paul asked.

Sam shook his head. "No, I don't want to disturb her and she's where she needs to be. I don't want to separate them when they clearly need each other right now."

"You're not jealous?" Paul raised an eyebrow.

"No, why would I be? If this were a random stranger or a friend of hers I haven't met before then I probably would be, but I know what he means to her, I know he's her pack."

"She said as much," Paul nodded.

"Does she know you listened in to her conversation?"

"No, so don't tell her."

Sam felt a smirk pull at his mouth. "Now I want to."

"But she'll kill me, I did this for _you_."

"No, you didn't, you're just a nosy bastard," Sam snorted, sending Hermione one last look before heading up the stairs, checking on Teddy and then heading to bed.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page count: 10

**Saturday 13th May 2006**

"Are you sure you don't mind doing this?" Hermione asked Sam, biting at her lip and her eyes darting between his face and his hand that he had pressed against the counter, his palm facing upwards.

"I don't mind," he promised, "But you'll have to be quick or it'll heal before you have the chance to take a sample."

Nibbling at her lip, she nodded her head before reaching for the knife and bringing it to his palm, slicing through his skin until blood poured from the wound. Sam lifted his hand clenched it into a fist, holding it above the vial until it filled about half of the way and he pulled his hand back, already seeing it beginning to heal.

"Is that enough?"

"Should be," she answered, putting the stopper in the vial before moving over to the skin to properly wash and disinfect the knife.

"You wanna tell me what you need my blood for?" He asked curiously.

"Not yet, I'm running a few experiments and won't know the results until I've added your blood and tested them out."

"And what are you hoping to achieve?"

"I don't want to tell you until I've succeeded, I don't want to get your hopes up or even mine for that matter, so until then, it remains secret," she answered and he raised an eyebrow as she turned around to face him. "I've been working on these experiments since before we even met and I'm hoping your blood will make all the difference."

"Alright, and how are you feeling?"

"A little antsy," she sighed, pushing her hair back from her face. "I hate having to put you all through this."

"It's not your fault," he said softly. "You can't blame yourself for what happened and you can't control that it happens either. We've all come to terms with that and instead focus our attention on trying to make things easier on you."

"How do you think they'll react?"

"I don't know, probably the same as the others. Their bond with you prevents them from feeling any negative feelings towards you; they could never hate you even if they wanted to."

"That makes me feel better," she muttered.

He chuckled and stood from his stool, walking over to her and pulling her into a hug.

"It'll be fine, Hermione. You know Seth loves you and Leah's found her new best friend in you," he said, a slight grimace pulling at his face.

She laughed. "Your worst nightmare, your ex-girlfriend and your current girlfriend being friends. Thankfully, she never talks about you and your relationship because I'm not sure if I'll be able to stop my wolf from biting her if she did. Her being pack makes it a lot easier than it would be if she were a stranger, but my wolf's very protective of you."

"I've seen," he said amused, his mind going back to last week when they'd gone grocery shopping and he'd received a few glances from a group of teens.

It'd made it even worse that Hermione had been able to hear their comments and pick up on the scent of their attraction for him. Sam hadn't complained though because as soon as they'd arrived home, she'd dragged him to their bedroom and spent half the day proving that he belonged to her.

"You're just as bad," she fired back, thinking of the time they'd gone shopping a couple of weeks ago.

They'd gone not only to get Teddy some new clothing as he'd gone through a growth spurt recently, but to also find Embry a birthday present as last week he'd celebrated his seventeenth birthday. He hadn't been impressed with the eyes of the teenage boys that followed her, nor had he been with their vulgar comments. All it had taken was one glance at the murderous look on his face and they soon quieted down and left.

"We're both as bad as each other," he shrugged. "Anyway, I'll make dinner tonight so you can spend more time in your lab and work on your experiments."

She looked at him gratefully and he chuckled before their attention was pulled when Seth walked into the kitchen with Teddy walking beside him as he held his hand, and the now two-year-old's hair was a dull blonde and he was rubbing at his eyes as he cried.

"What happened?" Sam asked, pulling away from Hermione and moving over to them.

"Teddy had an accident," Seth answered.

Both she and Sam looked down to Teddy's jeans, seeing that there was a dark patch. They'd recently started potty training and while he seemed to have the hang of going to the toilet when not wearing pants or jeans, he still struggled when wearing clothing, but they knew they had to be patient with him. Persistence was the key, after all.

"Did you forget to go to the potty?" Sam asked, crouching down in front of Teddy and the toddler nodded his head, his cries turning into hiccups. "That's okay, Teddy," he said softly. "Let's get you changed and try again," he said, reaching out for him and picking up, Teddy wrapping his arms around Sam's neck and crying into his shoulder as they left out the room, Sam's footsteps being heard on the staircase.

"Are you okay?" Seth asked.

"Fine, why d'you ask?" She replied, pulling out the makings for dinner and flicking her wand to start prepping it for when Sam returned.

"You just seem to be quieter than usual and you look tired," he said, a worried frown pulling at his face.

"I'm fine, I promise," she said, walking past him and patting him on the shoulder as Sam came down the stairs with a much happier looking Teddy who was now wearing clean jeans. As she crossed their path she pressed a kiss to Teddy's cheek and headed for her lab.

~000~000~000~

**Sunday 14th May 2006**

"Where do you think you're going, Pup?" Paul asked, standing in front of the stairs with his arms crossed over his chest and preventing Seth from getting past.

Seth shuffled on his feet and his eyes darted over to the kitchen and Paul's mouth twitched in amusement at the look of fear on Seth's face, and at hearing the grumbles coming from Hermione. It was the day of the full moon.

"Nowhere," he muttered.

"Great, then I suppose you'd better get back in the kitchen and eat your breakfast," Paul said.

"Seth, get your arse in here! Sam didn't stand and cook you bloody breakfast for you to walk away with a half-eaten plate!" Hermione's voice carried over and Paul had to try very hard to keep in his laughter.

"I'd get in there if I were you, today's not the day to mess with her," he said amusedly.

"Why?"

"You'll see soon enough."

Paul reached up and put his hand on Seth's shoulder, turning him around and guiding him back to the kitchen. As he stepped inside, everyone had amused looks on their faces as Hermione paced back and forth muttering to herself and Leah sat at the breakfast bar, leaning back in her seat and eyeing Hermione as if she'd just escaped a mental asylum.

"Leah, eat your breakfast!" Hermione said, a growl wrapping around her words. Leah picked up her fork and slowly began to eat but she didn't take her eyes off Hermione.

"I've got it," Paul said, pushing Seth into a seat and heading for the blinds when Hermione's head snapped up and she glowered at the sunlight in the room.

When the toaster 'dinged' Sam moved over to it, pulling the toast free and covering it in chocolate spread before handing it to her with a cup of tea. Hermione let out a sigh as she breathed in the scent of the chocolate and she reached up to press a kiss to Sam's cheek before leaving out the kitchen.

"I thought I was bad at that time of the month but she wins," Leah said suddenly.

A growl sounded from the library. "I heard that!"

Leah blinked in surprise and they all sniggered at her, apart from Seth who still looked confused and terrified.

"Watch what you say to her," Sam warned. "She might actually bite you."

"And why would she do that?" She raised an eyebrow.

"You'll soon see."

~000~000~000~

Later that night found Hermione pacing back and forth in the woods, the majority of the pack hating what they knew would soon be happening and Seth and Leah watching Hermione cautiously as she muttered to herself, tugged at her hair and scratched at her skin irritably.

"I hope this works. Please let this work." She muttered repeatedly.

"Is someone going to tell us why we're out here?" Leah asked for the third time that night but still didn't receive a straight answer.

"You'll see, just be ready to phase when we tell you to," Jared said, watching Hermione's every move with sad eyes.

She came to a sudden stop and looked up at the sky and they followed her gaze, seeing the moon being high in the sky.

"Phase now," Sam ordered and although they were confused, Seth and Leah phased along with everyone else, just as Hermione dropped to the ground and screams tore from the back of her throat.

 _'What's happening to her?'_ Seth asked in panic, making a move to step closer but a growl from Sam stopped him from doing so.

 _She's going through the transformation, it'll be over soon,'_ Jacob explained. _'Now, fall into the empty spaces_ ,' he said, and the two new wolves moved to fill the two empty spots as the pack surrounded Hermione.

 _'What transformation?_ ' Leah asked, her eyes glued to Hermione's writhing and screaming form and then widening upon seeing her bone structure visibly changing and it was soon followed by fur, claws and...A tail. The strange-looking wolf stood on its hind legs and howled to the moon. The full moon.

 _'She's a fucking werewolf!'_ Leah whispered.

~000~000~000~

 _'Well, shit! She fainted,'_ Paul spoke through the mind link, sounding both amused and surprised as he stared down at the large wolf that was laid out on the ground. _'She's the first to do that and I certainly wasn't expecting her to be, I had my money on it being Embry.'_

 _'Shove off,'_ Embry fired back and chuckles rang through the mind link as they all watched as Hermione slowly approached the unconscious wolf and sniffed at her.

 _'Seth, submit to her, get down and offer her your neck,'_ Jared instructed.

Seth was surprisingly quiet, in fact, they couldn't hear anything from him over the mind link and they couldn't remember the last that had happened, but despite that, Seth did listen and lowered himself to the ground, not moving as Hermione approached him, sniffed at him and gently bit his neck before stepping away and heading for Sam, ploughing straight into him as she rubbed herself up against him. The others amused comments flittered through the mind link and Jacob moved to sit beside Seth.

' _You okay?_ ' He asked the younger wolf.

 _'She's a werewolf,'_ Seth muttered.

 _'She is,'_ he agreed.

_'Like a real-life werewolf,'_

_'We know,'_ he replied amused.

_'It all makes sense, her strange behaviour, the growling, the flashing eyes...'_

_'Yep,'_ Jacob nodded. ' _Welcome to the pack. If it makes you feel any better, you fared better than Leah,'_ he said, looking over to the large heap of limbs and fur that was Seth's sister.

_'But she's a werewolf!'_

Jacob let out a loud rumbling growl of laughter. _'You'll get used to it, it happens every month, after all.'_

 _'I don't want to ever see her go through that again,'_ Seth said quietly.

 _'None of us do but we need to be here for her, so we learn to deal with it. Now watch out, she loves to play fight,'_ Jacob warned, before darting off to the side just as Hermione and Jared barrelled into each other, taking Seth down with them and laughter erupted.

~000~000~000~

Jacob had left with Embry for the first patrol of the night, Leah had come back around and was now laid by the foot of a tree, watching as the other wolves played with Hermione whilst also ignoring the teasing comments that were thrown her way for her fainting at the discovery of Hermione being a werewolf.

Sam was on the other side of the clearing, also watching the wolves play fight and with him laughing whenever Hermione used her smaller size and speed to her advantage and pounce on an unsuspecting wolf. And she's just done that, barrelling into Quil and knocking him to the ground, gently nipping at his tail like a puppy.

One moment she was playing and the next she was on the ground, howls of agony leaving her as she rolled around and writhed.

 _'What's happening?!'_ Quil asked in a panic.

 _'I don't know,'_ Jared said, sounding equally as confused and worried and Sam was beside her instantly, looking down at the smaller wolf, only he noticed something strange.

 _'She's changing back,'_ he muttered.

 _'That's not possible,'_ Paul said, looking up at the moon which had only been up no more than a couple of hours.

 _'I know that!'_ Sam snapped and they all flinched away from him. _'But she's changing back. Her fur and claws are fading and her bone structure's changing.'_

As Sam said that, human screams of agony sounded and echoed in the otherwise silence of the woods. The older wolves looked to each other in confusion and surprise before Paul phased back and grabbed Hermione's bag, pulling out the robe, blanket and potions and moving to kneel down beside her as she went through the last phase of her transformation. As soon as it was over, he covered her with the blanket and helped her into her robe and the rest of the wolves surrounded her, looking to her in surprise as tears fell down her face and Paul helped her to take her potions.

"What the hell was that, Hermione?" Paul asked her.

"It worked, I can't believe it worked," she whispered, snuggling into the large black wolf that lay on the ground behind her, supporting her weight and offering her more protection from the chill of the night.

"What worked?"

"My experiment," she muttered before her eyes closed and her breathing evened out.

~000~000~000~

**Monday 15th May 2006**

When Hermione next woke it was dark outside, she was in her bed and surrounded by the comforting presence of Sam. Turning over in bed she came face to face with him and she gave him a sleepy smile.

"What the hell happened?" Sam asked her. "And don't lie to me, you scared the hell out of me, and Jared was beside himself. Paul had to lock him in his office because he kept messing up the prep work for an upcoming job. Embry got sent home from school, Seth's barely spoken all day, Leah's been a moody bitch and Jacob and Quil have been standing guard outside the bedroom door since they've gotten home from school."

Hermione frowned before shaking her head slightly. "It was my experiment, it worked," she said.

"What experiment?"

She climbed out of bed and disappeared into the closet, returning wearing a t-shirt and a pair of leggings before leaving the room with him following after her. She led him down the stairs and after letting out a whistle, the rest of the pack all gathered in the living room, coming from various parts of the house.

They all spoke over each other and she winced before silencing them with a single glance and they all took seats in the room, looking at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry for worrying you all, but I didn't want to tell you my plan until I was sure it would work and I wasn't expecting it to, to be honest. I'm sure you've noticed I've been spending a lot of time in my lab lately, and I haven't been brewing potions for the hospital or any of my other clients. I've actually been working on a few experimental projects and you witnessed the results of one last night. Since I started my Masters in Potions, I've been working on something to help other werewolves but I was never able to get it to work, at least until now. I found the missing ingredient."

"My blood," Sam injected knowingly, looking to her from his place sat on the couch with Teddy in his lap and playing with a toy dragon.

"Not your blood exactly, rather something that was _in_ your blood. The shape-shifting gene. I was able to extract it from the blood sample you gave me and I added it to one of my experimental potions. My intentions were to see if I would be able to control the transformation. I'm a shape-shifter like you only I can't control it, but with the potion I've created, I've just discovered it is possible. I changed back before sunrise which means I can stop myself from transforming altogether, I won't ever have to face another full moon again." They all stared at her with wide eyes and expressions of disbelief and surprise. "I've done it, I've not created a cure for lycanthropy but I've created a potion that will give us control of our phasing. I imagine it'll take some practice to learn to change at will and I plan to do so in the coming days, but I'll hopefully never have to face the full moon again."

"But that's..." Paul trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Our DNA was the key?" Jacob asked.

"It was," she nodded.

"If this works for you, will it work for others?"

"I'd imagine so, but I had and have no intention of distributing this potion without proof of it working, without your permission or without your knowledge. I can imagine that this potion will help a lot of people, but it can be dangerous, too. Not all werewolves are good and those with ill intentions will be able to get their hands on it and could use it for nefarious purposes but that's the risk we must take to help others."

"If it'll stop you from transforming, what will happen to your wolf?" Embry asked, frowning slightly.

"She'll still be there but I'll have better control of her. I'll be able to pull her forward whenever I want or need to, and I'll be able to contain her whenever I want or need to. I'll have to run a few tests on myself but from what I can tell, I'll still have my advanced senses and I'll still suffer the symptoms of the full moon only I won't go through the physical transformation."

"That's amazing," Jared muttered in awe.

"No more pain, no more worries and no more forced transformations. I'm free. The moon doesn't control me anymore."

Hermione burst into tears and she was soon surrounded by her pack, offering her words of comfort and praise. She'd just created a never before seen advancement in the curing of lycanthropy and with her discovery she'd go down in history for more than just being a War Heroine.

~000~000~000~

**Tuesday 16th May 2006**

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Sam asked, looking up from his breakfast and everyone else soon followed his gaze, watching as Hermione silently stared out the kitchen window.

"Something's happening," she said quietly, her voice sounding as if she were in a world of her own.

"Meaning?"

"Something's happening," she repeated. "My magic, I can feel it."

Sam shared a worried glance with Jared and Paul before their eyes turned back to Hermione.

"What can you feel, Hermione?" Paul asked.

"It's happening,"

"What is?"

As he said those words, Hermione stepped away from the kitchen window and moved over to the front door, pulling it open and stepping out onto the porch. The rest of the pack followed closely behind her as she descended the steps onto the beach and looked off towards the woods.

A sudden gasp tore from her and she collapsed, Sam rushing to her and catching her just before she hit the ground and she shook in his arms.

"Hermione? Hermione!" He said, unable to hide his worry or panic.

She took a deep breath and fell forward, pressing her hands into the sand and bowing her head as she breathed deeply.

"Check my back," she whispered.

Sam frowned but moved to grip the bottom of her t-shirt, pulling it up to reveal her spine. His eyes raked over the names tattooed on her spine before widening when he saw not one, but _two_ newly added names.

"Well?" She asked.

"You felt them going through the transformation," he muttered.

"Them?" Jared frowned.

"There's two names, not one; Collin and Brady."

"I've a second cousin called Collin," Jacob spoke.

"And I've a second cousin called Brady," Quil added.

"That's it, the Black and Ateara bloodlines," Hermione said, pushing herself up until she was leaning back into Sam and her eyes were locked on the woods.

"But for them to go through the transformation at the same time, that's odd," Paul commented.

"It is, very odd," Hermione agreed.

"What if they triggered each other?" Embry suggested. "They're neighbours and they've been best friends since they were born, there's only a few months between them in age. Their parents were friends from school and they both lost their mothers in a car accident when they were three. They live with their fathers."

Hermione took a deep breath and her hands clenched into tight fists at the news, her heart breaking for her new wolves.

"How old are they?" She asked, dreading the answer.

"Thirteen," Jacob answered.

Hermione's eyes closed tightly. "It's getting closer, the battle I was warned about, it's coming and I can feel it. I don't want the pups anywhere near it."

"We'll keep them away from it," Sam promised, his arms slipping around her stomach and they sat on the ground, watching the trees and waiting for someone to exit them and it happened a few minutes later.

Two large, beautiful wolves stepped out from behind the trees and slowly approached the house and gathered pack, eyeing them curiously. They had dark eyes and long fur, and while one looked to be a dark ashy-brown colour, the other one appeared to be a reddish-brown colour that darkened around the face, legs and tail.

Hermione disentangled herself from Sam's hold and she stood, slowly approaching the two wolves until there were only a few feet between them and they stared down at her.

"Hello, Collin, Brady. I'm Hermione," she said softly. "I know you're very confused but I promise it will all make sense soon enough and before it is all explained to you, all I have to say is welcome home, welcome to the pack."

At her words, the two wolves let out whines and they dropped to the ground on their stomachs and Hermione approached them, kneeling down between their large bodies and gently running her hands through their fur. It was clear they felt comfortable with her as they shifted closer to her and leaned into her touch.

"Sammy," she said softly, not wanting to upset her two new wolves, especially given that they were so young. "It's before school, chances are their fathers were nearby when this happened."

His eyes widened in understanding and he nodded. "I'll alert the Council to the new additions to the pack and we'll check to see if they were accidentally injured or if they witnessed anything. At any rate, we'll have to convince them the pups need to stay with us for the time being."

"It's a good job we've got a spare bedroom," Hermione mused, "Though, they'll have to share."

Sam nodded before phasing right in front of them all and the new wolves startled at the sight as he ran off into the woods.

"That's right, boys, you're not alone, everyone here is a wolf," she smiled down at them. "And we'll teach you to control it just like they can." She looked up to the rest of the pack, seeing Paul struggling to contain Teddy as he tried to break free and run to the new additions to the pack. "You can put him down," she said and Paul sighed in relief at being able to do so, especially after Teddy had just kicked him in the ribs during his struggle.

The toddler giggled and squealed as he darted over to them, immediately hugging the dark wolf and pulling back to hug the reddish-brown wolf and they both blinked in surprise.

"Boys, this is Teddy, and I promise you're going to love him," she said to them before turning back to the remainder of the pack. "Right, Leah you'd better go or you'll be late for work and you boys better get a move on, too, or you'll be late for school," she said to Seth, Quil, Jacob and Embry who had all been cleared to return to school and had been attending for a couple of weeks now. Nodding, they all headed inside to collect their belongings.

"It's my turn," Jared said and Paul looked relieved that he wouldn't be on 'puppy-sitting duty', so he went inside to get his things before leaving for the office.

"Right then, it seems it's just going to be us, Jared and Teddy. Let's get inside and give you your answers, but I promise you, I have the feeling you're going to love what we're about to tell you."


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! Hope you have a lovely weekend. 
> 
> Page count: 13

**Saturday 20th May 2006**

She was giving herself a headache and her scalp was sore but she couldn't stop. She couldn't stop her fingers from tangling in her hair and pulling at the roots.

She couldn't stop pacing the length of the living room, her bare feet padding against the cool flooring.

She couldn't stop the agonised, furious hiss that slipped past her lips when she wasn't watching where she was going and she banged her shin off the coffee table.

She couldn't stop her worry and fear.

It was the early hours of the morning and rather than being snuggled up in bed and sleeping peacefully beside her boyfriend, Hermione was wide awake and attempting to wear a hole in the floor.

When she'd been woken by fast footfalls stampeding down the stairs and muttered curses, Sam had told her to go back to sleep and when she next woke, he'd be beside her again before he climbed from the bed and took his leave.

Sam had tried to hide it from her, not wanting her to worry. But she knew. Something was wrong. She knew from the silence in the house (only being able to pick up on three heartbeats) that everyone had been called in. That only happened in cases of emergency.

A vampire was on their land.

"Hermione?"

"What's wrong?"

Hermione spun on her heel so fast she almost lost her balance and had to reach out to steady herself on the back of the couch.

"Pups?" Hermione questioned, her brow furrowing at the sight of Collin and Brady stood by the armchair, looking half-asleep and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.

It was odd, she thought. It was odd that they were only thirteen-years-old and whilst they now had the bodies of young men, their faces still held boyish features.

They were not only the youngest of the pack but they are also the shortest, despite reaching an impressive height of six-feet, and they were also slimmer, slightly less muscled. Hermione wasn't sure if that were due to their young age and they'd put on more muscle as they aged, or if it were genetic. They had the same russet-tone and the same dark eyes like the others, but that was about it for similarities. As usual, she'd given them both a haircut and whilst Collin had opted to go short like the rest of the pack, Brady had wished to keep his hair longer and shaggier, it falling over his ears and forehead. Brady had more of a defined chin and jaw-line compared to Collin, who had a slightly larger nose and bigger eyes.

Having observed their behaviour and mannerisms over the last few days, Hermione concluded that they were obviously close and had been since they were young children. Their interactions were very similar to Fred and George's relationship. If it weren't for the fact they weren't similar in appearance, she might've easily mistaken them for twins.

"What're you doing awake? You boys should be in bed, you've school tomorrow."

They shared a worried glance before looking back to her.

"It's Saturday," reminded Collin.

"And we're not going back to school until we learn to control our phasing," added Brady.

"Oh," Hermione cleared her throat. "Sorry, force of habit," she gave her head a shake. It wasn't her fault! She had four teenage boys that _did_ attend school. "Anyway, you shouldn't be up this late, go on, get yourselves back to bed. We've a busy day tomorrow and you're going need your sleep."

"What's wrong?" They chorused.

"Nothing's wrong," she tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace.

"We know you're lying to us," Brady's mouth tugged downwards. "Something's wrong, we can feel it."

"Rule two, don't lie," Collin shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Where is everyone?"

Hermione released a ragged sigh and brushed her hand through her hair, her shoulders slumping.

They were right, she made the rule about not telling lies in the house and she should be leading by example. They were young and she wished to protect them but she had to remind herself that no matter their age, they were now members of the pack. They had every right to know pack business and nothing should be kept from them. That's not to say they were allowed to partake, that is. Knowing was one thing, getting involved was another.

"I don't know," she confessed. "All I know is that Leah and Jacob called for backup and everyone left."

"But that only happens when..."

"There's a vampire nearby," Collin finished, sharing a wide-eyed glance with Brady.

"Usually, yes," she nodded, folding her arms over her chest and shuffling on her feet agitatedly. "The others know what they're doing, this isn't the first vampire they've come across, they'll be fine," she said, being unsure if she was trying to assure them of that or herself. "You best get yourselves back to bed."

They shared a glance before looking back to her after sharing a subtle nod.

"Will you read to us?" Asked Brady.

"You're thirteen; don't you think you're a little old for a bedtime story?" She tipped her head.

"Maybe," Collin shrugged, "But we like it when you read to us, we're not old enough to remember much about our moms, it's nice having you as our Alpha."

Hermione's expression softened, her heart seemed to simultaneously melt into a puddle and break in two, and she swallowed before slowly nodding in agreement. She could do with a distraction.

She allowed the pups to lead the way, climbing three flights of stairs and walking to the end of the hallway before they reached their shared room on the left beside the bathroom on the third floor. As they both climbed into their beds and made themselves comfortable, she pulled the chair from Brady's desk to sit in-between their beds.

"What would you like to read?"

"The children's storybook," Collin said through a yawn.

Hermione's mouth tugging into a sad smile at the memories that resurfaced regarding _that_ book, she summoned _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ from her library, opened the book to the first page and began reading _The Wizard and the Hopping Pot_ aloud.

Midway through the story, they were sleeping soundly and Hermione quietly closed the book and set it in her lap, taking the opportunity to watch them fondly.

It'd been four days since Collin and Brady had joined the pack unexpectedly, and whilst they were a lot quieter compared to the other boisterous personalities of the pack, Leah included, Hermione believed them to have settled in well. It had taken them both almost the full day to phase back, Brady being the first to do so and Collin followed half an hour after, and that was with Teddy's presence and Hermione reading to them.

Giving their age and not wishing to overwhelm them too much on their first day, they'd waited until the next morning to explain Hermione's role in the pack and inform them about her being a witch. She'd never seen someone's eyes light up so quickly or so brightly and they'd had her performing acts of magic for hours afterwards.

They'd taken the news of their inherited responsibilities exceptionally and they were fully accepting of their abilities (almost as much as Seth had been) but they were finding it difficult to phase on command or whenever they wished to, purely because they were so excited they struggled to concentrate and focus.

And whilst they'd settled into the pack well, taking all of the teasing and taunting like champs, (but being too afraid and intimidated of the older wolves to return the gesture just yet) they hardly ever left Hermione's side and Teddy was all but their permanent shadows. Paul swore blind he wasn't jealous. No one believed him.

Their bond with Hermione was different compared to the others; she could feel it.

Whilst they all considered her to be a friend, sister and somewhat of a mother, Collin and Brady were different. Paul, Jared and Jacob were old enough to not need mothering, (even if she did so) Leah, Seth, Quil and Embry had mothers of their own, and obviously, Sam was her wolf-mate. But the pups had barely entered their teen years and they hadn't had a mother since they were three-years-old.

Hermione was the Alpha Female of the pack, a mother figure, and unlike the others, they specifically sought that mother-child bond from her, especially after witnessing her connection to Teddy, the pup of the pack and her son.

Because of this, and the pups needing her constant presence and attention, Hermione had barely had any time in her lab and neither had she had any time to test her own limitations and practice shifting at will, something she hoped to have mastered before the next full moon so she might fight off the pull and remain human. It was the final test to proving that her potion worked.

When Collin gave a decidedly loud snore that sounded more akin to a rumbled growl, she bit her lip to stop from laughing and she rose from her chair. Crossing over to the bed, she pulled the blanket to better cover his form despite knowing he didn't need the protection from the chill in the air, and then she switched off the lamp on his bedside table. She padded to the other side of the room, making to pull the blanket to better cover Brady when she paused, noting his furrowed brow and the corners of his mouth tugging downwards.

Reaching out, she brushed his hair back from his forehead, seeing his expression smooth out as her fingertips ghosted over his skin. Bending and pressing a kiss to his forehead, hoping it would help to settle him as it did Teddy when he was restless, she switched his bedside lamp off and took her leave, being sure to erect a Silencing Ward around the room, this one working in reverse so that sound could leave but not enter; she didn't want them waking when the pack eventually arrived home.

After descending the stairs and checking on Teddy, she continued downstairs and moved to the kitchen, knowing she wasn't going to be able to sleep until she had answers, she made a cup of tea.

She leaned back against the counter, the steaming mug held between both hands and hovering by her mouth as her gaze absentmindedly locked on the floor.

Minutes later, she released a crying gasp of horror and her mug fell from her hands, smashing against the ground and the boiling contents splashing against her bare legs and feet. She didn't notice.

It wasn't the sudden arrival of the pack that caused such a reaction, it wasn't the scalding, and neither was it the front door bursting open and slamming against the wall with such a force it actually came off its hinges. It was Paul being carried in, Jacob holding him beneath the arms and walking backwards whilst Sam held his legs.

They crossed to the couch, gently settling him onto the soft cushions and a pillow being stuffed under his head to keep it propped up.

"Hermione?" Seth was the first to notice her presence and he'd said her name in a little above a whisper, his eyes wide, horrified and worried.

All eyes snapped to her and Sam immediately approached, noting her shell-shocked appearance and her lack of response to Seth.

"Hermione!" His voice rose, seeing the broken much and boiling tea on the ground, and worse, the red patches on her feet and shins, putting the pieces together and understanding what had happened. "Fuck! We have to get you in the bath, cold water'll take the sting away and hopefully, it won't blister."

He took her hand in his and pulled her from the kitchen and towards the stairs, but something in her snapped back to attention and she tugged her hand free, uncaring for the stinging of the scalds and she darted over to Paul, stopping beside the couch and staring down at him.

Her eyes examining him carefully, she noted that his eyes were closed, his breathing slow and steady, but there was a pinched look on his face. Outwardly, nothing appeared to be wrong but she knew different. Not only could she feel that something was wrong, but he wouldn't have been carried in simply because he was sleeping, and it wouldn't have been done in such a panic.

Her palm pressed against his forehead and she received no response or reaction from him.

"Paul?" She croaked, her throat tightening and her eyes stinging with tears. "Paul?" She echoed, giving his shoulder a gentle nudge and hoping to wake him. It didn't. "What happened?" She demanded, peering over her shoulder when silence met her and she saw them all looking saddened as they avoided her gaze. "Samuel Joshua Uley!" Hermione growled, her eyes flashing amber and seeing each of them wince and flinch back. "What the fuck happened?"

"Vampire," he offered softly, guiltily.

Hermione's breath hitched, her eyes darting down to Paul before she spun on her heel, grabbed her wand from the coffee table and sent a burst of flames to the fireplace.

"Where're you going?" Jacob asked, his gaze darting between Hermione as she reached for the pot of floo powder, Paul and Sam.

"To retrieve a Healer, do not leave him alone," was her snappy reply, and uncaring for the fact she was barefoot and only clothed in a too-large t-shirt that belonged to her boyfriend and a pair of sleep shorts, she stepped into the flames and called out, "St. Helena's Hospital, Seattle."

~000~000~000~

She was gone all of four minutes before she came barrelling out of the fireplace in her hast to return, Sam being close enough to steady her before she hit the ground. She was followed by an older man; he appeared to be in his late-forties but Sam knowing what he did about magical ageing, wouldn't be surprised if he was double that age. His hair was surprisingly thick and dark, the odd grey hair shining through. He had very few wrinkles, if only around the eyes and mouth, his nose was small, his eyes a dark green and he appeared to be average height.

He wore exactly what he'd expect to see a doctor wearing, dark-coloured scrubs with a white lab coat, an ID badge clipped to his pocket and a medical bag in hand.

"I am Healer Cooper. Where's the patient?" He asked, his tone calm, confident and no-nonsense.

"On the couch," Sam offered, seeing that Hermione had fallen quiet, she couldn't seem to take her eyes off Paul and when she made to step closer, he tugged her into his side, keeping her out of the magical doctor's way.

He was unsure of Paul's injuries but he knew his healing would work to fix them, and before he'd had the chance to tell Hermione that, she'd already left. But now that the magical doctor was there, he saw no point in being anything but polite and there was no harm in allowing him to give Paul the once over, he might even be able to tell them what his injuries were. There was no point in keeping it a secret, being a shape-shifter was normal in Hermione's world and they didn't have to hide.

The magical doctor crossed to the couch, barely glancing at the other occupants in the room and he set his medical bag beside him on the ground before peering down at Paul's form searchingly. He drew his wand from his pocket and gently tapped the tip against Paul's forehead, a humming noise sounding from him.

"Interesting," he mused, tipping his head curiously. "How long has he been unconscious?"

"'Bout forty minutes," supplied Sam.

"Magical status?"

"Shape-shifter, natural born," answered Hermione, hovering nearby and being tucked into Sam's side whilst the rest of the pack surrounded them but didn't get in the way.

"Form?"

"A giant wolf."

"How giant?"

"Approximately eight feet tall, twelve feet in length."

He looked to her, both of his eyebrows shooting up high on his forehead before he cleared his throat and gave his head a slight shake.

"Weight of shifter form?"

"I don't know," Hermione shook her head. "Approximately 650 to 750lbs."

"What's with all the questions?" Questioned Sam, his eyes darting between Hermione's face, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks and the magical doctor, the man muttering to himself as he fished through his medical bag.

"Background," she sniffled, reaching up to wipe at her eyes. "He needs to know Paul's weight so that he can administer the correct dosage for each potion. Shape-shifters in general, no matter their form, tend to have a stronger metabolism, and in order to prevent Paul's system from burning through the treatments too quickly before they even have chance to take effect, he has to calculate the dosage based on his weight in his wolf form, not his human form. As for needing to know his shifting form, it's so he can rule out any treatments that may potentially cause harm. There are some ingredients in potions that affect or weaken one more than the other. Bear forms, strangely, can't be administered treatments that use honey as an ingredient, and avian forms can't be administered treatments that contain any body part of a toad or mouse. It's for his safety."

"Am I to assume he is gifted with enhanced abilities?" Said the Healer.

"Yeah, speed, senses, strength and healing," answered Jared, unable to tear his eyes from his best friend and all the coloured flashes of light that hovered above his body as the Healer cast diagnostic charms.

Whilst Paul's injuries may not be severe considering his healing and abilities, and whilst they may not have been as severe as they could be given the circumstances surrounding the cause, it was the first time one of them had been injured with more than just a few scrapes and broken fingers (from what they could tell, at least, having yet to get the diagnosis) when dealing with a vampire.

"And the healing rate? I need to know how much time I have before his body's own healing begins. In most circumstances it wouldn't be an issue, however, he has several fractures and without proper treatment and aid, they are highly likely to heal incorrectly, and should he continue to shift, it is likely to cause further injury."

A collective inhale was heard, everyone in the room being surprised at the severity of Paul's injuries. Outwardly, there didn't appear to be anything wrong. He simply looked to be sleeping.

"Broken fingers and toes, ten to fifteen minutes, broken noses approximately double that. Broken arms and legs, anywhere between a couple of hours and two days, possibly longer depending on the severity. The rest, I don't know, we've never had injuries such as this before," explained Sam.

"And the cause?" He probed.

"Vampire," Hermione growled, her eyes flashing amber and Sam was sure to forcibly turn her head into his chest, preventing the magical doctor from witnessing it.

The last thing they needed was someone getting wind of her being a werewolf, and despite them being legally covered now that he'd officially adopted Teddy, he didn't want word spreading in the Wizarding World or for her reputation to be affected.

"Vampire?" He echoed, distractedly searching through his medical supplies and drawing back with potion vials, bandages, pastes and salves and placing them on the coffee table.

"We protect our land and people from them, if one crosses the boundary lines, we kill it," said Sam. "This one was stronger than what we're used to."

"You're physically capable of matching a vampire in strength?" He sought clarification.

"Yes," Sam nodded.

"That puts things into perspective," the Healer muttered to himself, once more running his wand over the length of Paul's body with flashing, glowing lights appearing. "Hmmm... Damaged organs, too," he said aloud. "Not to worry, it's an easy fix," he assured them.

A collective sigh of relief sounded in the room, Jared physically bending over and setting his hands on his knees as his head bowed and Jacob clapped him on the shoulder.

"With the combination of his healing capabilities and magical treatments, I see no reason why he shouldn't be fully healed within the next few days, five at maximum. Now, I am aware that he's currently unconscious and whilst I will administer a Sleeping Draught to keep him under so I might treat him, it will take a few minutes for it to circle his system and take effect. With time being of the essence, I have to work quickly to properly set his fractures before they begin to heal and for that reason, we do run the risk of him waking before the potion has time to take effect. As a precaution, I require assistance in restraining him. This is not going to be a pleasant process."

"Jacob," Sam instructed with a single tip of his head, knowing that he was physically the strongest member of the pack.

"Thank you," said the Healer once Jacob approached. "Hold him down by his shoulders. He does appear to have a fractured collar bone and more damage may be caused during restraint, but I will tend to that once he's under the influence of the Sleeping Draught as it will be the most painful. Firstly, I will begin with setting his ribs; diagnostics indicate he has three fractured and two cracked and I don't wish to risk injury to his lungs or heart. In hopes of reducing the pain, I'll administer a mild Pain Relief Potion but I don't want to risk overwhelming his system with too many potions and treatments lest his body perceives them as a foreign agent and a, turn to fighting it off rather than healing his injuries, or, b, inadvertently make his injuries worse. I'll administer the Sleeping Draught and Pain Potion and then we can begin."

~000~000~000~

"Hermione?"

She didn't respond.

Perched beside Paul's bed in a chair, her hand held his and her eyes refused to leave his face. He was sleeping, under the influence of the Sleeping Draught and Hermione hoped that his dreams were pleasant.

It had taken Healer Cooper a little over half an hour to tend to and treat all of Paul's injuries and once he'd been given the all-clear, Paul had been carefully levitated from the couch, up the stairs and to his room on the second floor. Before Healer Cooper took his leave, he tended to the scalds on Hermione's shins and feet under Sam's request, leaving behind a Burn Salve as well as a selection of potions that needed to be administered to Paul.

He'd made an appointment to return the following day so he might check on Paul's progress, unless he took a turn for the worse and needed to be seen sooner.

"Hermione, he's going to be fine," Sam said, coming up behind her and setting his hand on her shoulder, seeing her head bow, hearing her sniffle and her free hand came to rest over his, gripping tightly.

"This is what I was afraid of. Some getting hurt," she whispered. "It hurts, Sammy. It physically hurts. I can feel the strain on the bond."

Sam hated seeing her so upset, so pained. There was nothing he could do to physically ease that worry or fear. He couldn't feel the bond in the way she could, it being formed by her magic, something he didn't possess.

"I knew something was wrong and I couldn't just go back to sleep. I had to wait. I might've come after you had the pups not woken when they did and they asked me to read to them."

"The doctor said the prognosis is looking good, and he should be back on his feet no later than Tuesday and he'll be arguing with Embry, demanding brownies for a snack and fighting over who gets the last slice of bacon before we know it." He saw her mouth twitch. "Why didn't they wake when we got back?"

"I placed a reversed Silencing Ward around their room, sound leaves but can't enter," she explained. "I didn't want them to be disturbed. What happened?"

Sam heaved out a heavy sigh.

"Don't lie to me."

"I don't want to lie to you, but I'm worried about how you'll react."

"I'm too exhausted to move," she muttered. "Physically and emotionally."

"Leah and Jacob called for backup," he began, Hermione already knowing this, "I'm not sure what was happening but this vampire, we weren't the only one chasing it."

"What?" Her brow furrowed and she peered up at him over her shoulder through tired, wet eyes.

"The Cullens, they were by the boundary line. Whoever this vampire was, I guess the Cullens had a personal vendetta against. Everyone was there but the Mind Reader. I don't think this vampire was looking to feed or just passing through, I think they were here for a reason, possibly to provoke the Cullens. They kept deliberately jumping between our territories, and I don't know what, but there was something different. No matter what we did, we couldn't catch her. She was too... I don't know, _lucky_."

"She?" She echoed, the exhaustion leaving her expression and being replaced by a hardened look. "Sammy?"

"I don't know," he replied, understanding her unvoiced question. "I never heard a name and I didn't recognise her."

"Did she have red curls, the same colouring as the Weasleys?"

"Yes," he confirmed, feeling his stomach churn.

"Victoria! It was her!" Her eyes flashed amber and her words were surrounded by feral growls, and despite that, she made no move to release Paul's hand. He'd been worried she'd storm the woods and try to pick up a trace she might use to track her.

"We don't know that," Sam tried to argue. "I'm sure there's loads of red-haired vampires."

"It's her. I _know_ it is. You said she seemed different, _lucky_. From the intel I've gathered, she has a gift and although I don't know what it is exactly, somehow it helps her to survive. Three members of the Order tried to subdue her during the Battle, but no matter what they did she always escaped. And despite being up against the pack and Cullens," she spat their name like it left a bad taste in her mouth, "She still got away."

"I promised you we'd get her if she came here," Sam's tone softened, saddened and his gaze darted to Paul's sleeping form guiltily. "I promised justice. Instead, she escaped and Paul was hurt. We failed you. _I_ failed you."

"No, you didn't. It's not your fault. It's _hers_. And she _will_ get what's coming to her. She'll be back. She's involved with the Cullens, I'm sure of it, and if that's the case, maybe this is the battle I was forewarned against. We have to be more careful than ever."

"I'll double up patrols, no fewer than four wolves per shift."

"How was Paul hurt? Was it her?"

"Not directly," Sam shook his head. "She's a smart one, I think she knew about the treaty, or, somehow figured out that the Cullen's weren't crossing the boundary line for a reason. She tricked one of them into following her, and when he crossed onto our land, he collided with Paul. I think they were both surprised by it and with the chaos and confusion she caused, she escaped with the distraction. I sent Jared and Leah ahead to follow her but they lost her scent by the mountains."

"Who was it?"

"The strongest one, Emmet I think Swan said his name was."

"One more person on my shit list," Hermione muttered darkly.

Sam winced, and he couldn't believe the next words were about to leave his mouth, but he felt he had to say them.

"It was an accident, it wasn't his fault. She deliberately tricked him into following her. We didn't realise what'd happened until it was too late."

"Then he shouldn't have been so fucking thick to fall for such a tactic. As a vampire, his brain processes information one thousand times faster than a human's," she argued.

Sam released a heaved sigh and brushed a hand through his hair, knowing there was no point in arguing with her, not when a member of the pack had been injured. She was calm now but the moment Paul was healed, he was certain she'd be on a warpath and she wouldn't stop until Victoria's head had been torn from her body and mounted on a stick.

"Are you coming to bed? We could all do with some sleep."

"No, I can't leave him," she shook her head. "I don't know if it's my wolf or my magic, but I can't leave him when he's like this."

"Try and get some sleep, at least. Paul would be furious if he wakes and finds out you haven't been taking care of yourself."

"He'd be even worse if he wakes and discovers a new wolf's joined the pack."

Sam's eyebrow arched. "Are you tryin' tell me something? Are we gettin' another wolf?"

"No, not yet at least; we can never be sure what the future holds but aside from my magic being unsettled because of Paul, I don't feel any different."

"Good," he breathed out in relief. She looked up at him, both eyebrows raised. "We haven't got the space," he shrugged. "We're not exactly small, are we? You've already ordered another couch for both the living room and family room, and Lord knows where you're going to put them."

"I like having a full house," she said quietly. "Growing up, it was just me, my parents were always at work. And I know that eventually, they'll all leave; they can't stay here forever and I'm dreading the day that comes."

Sam tipped his head, offering a smile. "But by that point, we might have a family of our own, and even if we don't, Teddy's more than a handful. The house will never really be quiet, and do you honestly think that they won't be here every day for dinner? Even if they do live somewhere else?"

Hermione's mouth twitched. "I suppose not, but that doesn't make it any easier."

Both of their attention was drawn when the bedroom door was opened and having expected one of the pack members, they both blinked in surprise when they saw Teddy stood in the doorway; his pyjamas rumpled and his hair sleep-mussed.

"What the..." Sam muttered, straining his hearing. "There's no one else out there, they're all asleep," he told Hermione. "How did he get out of bed by himself? And up the stairs? _And_ open the door, he can't even reach?"

Glancing down at Hermione, he saw her wide eyes and parted mouth.

"Bloody hell," she whispered. "I think..." She swallowed. "I think he used magic."

Sam did a double-take, his gaze darting between his girlfriend and adopted son. "Magic? You said he's not old enough to start showing signs."

"Generally, the first accidental magic occurs between the ages of four and five, but that's not to say it can't happen earlier or later."

"He's only two!" Sam protested. "He's not even potty trained yet."

"Doesn't matter," Hermione shook her head. "It's still possible. It's the only explanation. Even if my charms on his bed had failed, and even if he was capable of climbing the stairs by himself without falling, he physically can't reach the door handle, and the door wasn't shut over, it was _closed_. If you say everyone's asleep, he's the only one that's capable of doing all this."

"I don't know if I should proud, worried or terrified," Sam admitted.

"All of the above," Hermione confirmed.

"Teddy?" Sam began, "Why are you not in bed?"

The toddler's brow furrowed. "Me wanna see Ball."

Sam and Hermione shared a glance. _Did he know?_

"Teddy Bear, Paul's sleeping right now, just as you should be," said Hermione.

"Me wanna see Ball," he repeated firmly, his expression souring, his hair tinting red.

"Okay, but quickly, it's very late," Sam acquiesced, knowing that he wasn't awake enough to be dealing with a Teddy temper tantrum so early in the morning and after the night he'd had.

Teddy toddled into the room and Hermione reached out, settling him on her lap.

"Ball hurt," he said sadly, knowingly.

Hermione's breath hitched and she felt Sam press a hand to her shoulder.

"He... He is," she stumbled over her agreement. "But the Healer's give Paul some medicine to make him better, and soon he won't be poorly anymore."

Teddy pursed his lips before squirming out of her hold and given how close she sat to the bed, he was able to climb from her lap and onto the mattress, she and Sam both watching as Teddy crawled over to Paul's side. The toddler's hair morphed from blonde to black and he leaned over, both of his tiny hands grasping Paul's face before he pressed a sloppy kiss to Paul's cheek, the shape-shifter remaining still and silent.

"Kisses make poorly better," Teddy said, his expression serious.

Hermione sniffled and Sam gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"They do," she agreed, her voice cracking as she fought back a fresh wave of tears, especially when he shifted beneath the blanket, curled up against Paul's side and his eyes closed, sleep taking a hold of him quicker than Hermione thought possible.

"I guess he's found his bed for the night," Sam remarked, a fond smile tugging at his mouth.

"He's not going to want to leave him. He's too young to understand."

"He understands more than we realise. And I think we should both follow his example and get some sleep."

"I can't leave him," she repeated the same words from before.

"I know, but please try to get some rest."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Hermione's eyes returned to the bed, watching the sleeping shape-shifter and toddler snuggled into his side.

"I promise, Paul," Hermione muttered. "I'll kill the bitch if it's the last thing I do."


End file.
